aTOC/Mast_TAR_Summer05 1 6/7/05, 5:00 PM T ◆ H ◆ E Instructions for Authors ALAN REVIEW ABOUT THE ALAN REVIEW. The ALAN Review is a peer-reviewed (refereed) journal published by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the National Council of Teachers of English. It is devoted solely to the field of literature for Co-editors James Blasingame, [email protected] adolescents. It is published three times per academic year (fall, winter, and spring) and is sent to all members, individual Arizona State University and institutional, of ALAN (The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE). Members of ALAN need not be mem Lori Atkins Goodson, bers of NCTE. [email protected] THE ALAN REVIEW publishes reviews of and articles on literature for adolescents and the teaching of that literature: Wamego Middle School, Wamego, Kansas research studies, papers presented at professional meetings, surveys of the literature, critiques of the literature, articles about authors, comparative studies across genre and/or cultures, articles on ways to teach the literature to adolescents, YA Book Review Editor Lori Atkins Goodson and interviews of authors. Middle School Claudia Katz, National Louis Connection Editor University AUDIENCE. Many of the individual members of ALAN are classroom teachers of English in middle, junior, and senior high schools. Other readers include university faculty members in English and/or Education programs, researchers in High School Kay Smith, Utah the field of adolescent literature, librarians, authors, publishers, reading teachers and teachers of other related content Connection Editor Valley State College areas. ALAN has members in all 50 states and a number of foreign countries. Research Connection Jeffrey S. Kaplan, University Editor of Central Florida PREFERRED STYLE. Manuscripts should usually be no longer than fifteen double-spaced, typed pages. A manuscript Publishers Connection M. Jerry Weiss, Jersey City submitted for consideration should deal specifically with literature for adolescents and/or the teaching of that literature. Editor State College, Emeritus It should have a clearly defined topic and be scholarly in content, as well as practical and useful to people working with and/or studying adolescents and their literature. Research studies and papers should be treated as articles rather Professional Resource William Broz, Connection Editor University of Northern Iowa than formal reports. Stereotyping on the basis of sex, race, age, etc., should be avoided, as should gender-specific terms such as “chairman.” Library Connection Diane P. Tuccillo, Mesa Public Editor Library, Mesa, Arizona MANUSCRIPT FORMAT. Manuscripts should be double-spaced throughout, including quotations and bibliographies. Non Print YAL Jean Brown, Rhode Island A title page with author’s name, affiliation, address, and a short professional biographical sketch should be included. Connection Editor College The author’s name should not appear on the manuscript pages; however, pages should be numbered. Short quotations, as permitted under “fair use” in the copyright law, must be carefully documented within the manuscript and in the Editorial Review Board bibliography. Longer quotations and complete poems or short stories must be accompanied by written permission of Lawrence Baines, University of Toledo the copyright owner. Katherine Barr, San Francisco, California Kylene Beers, University of Houston Author interviews should be accompanied by written permission of the interviewed author to publish the interview Jean Borren, Northern Arizona University in The ALAN Review. Interviewers should indicate to authors that publication is subject to review of an editorial board. Cynthia A. Bowman, Columbus, Ohio The title of The ALAN Review should not be used to gain an interview. Linda Broughton, University of South Alabama Jean E. Brown, Warwick, Rhode Island Original short tables and figures should be double-spaced and placed on a separate sheet at the end of the John “Jack” Bushman, University of Kansas manuscript. Notations should appear in the text for proper placement of tables and figures. Michael Cart, Chico, California Melissa Comer, Cumberland College The ALAN Review prefers the use of the Publications Manual of the Modern Language Association (MLA). Chris Crowe, Brigham Young University A 3 1/2-inch IBM compatible disk in a recent version of Word format must accompany all manuscripts. Disks must be Pat Daniel, University of South Florida clearly labeled with author’s name, manuscript title, disk format, and file title. Kevin Dupree, University of Southern Mississippi Joan Elliot, Indiana University of Pennsylvania SUBMITTING THE MANUSCRIPT. Send three clear copies and a disk of the manuscript to: Bonnie Ericson, California State University at Northridge Dr. James Blasingame, Co-Editor, The ALAN Review, Department of English/English Education, college of Liberal Arts Ted Fabiano, Blue Valley Northwest High School and Sciences, P.O. box 870302, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-0302. Karen Ford, Ball State University Nena Foster-Pritchard, North Olmsted High School, Ohio Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to which return stamps are clipped. The manuscript cannot be returned if Montye Fuse, Arizona State University the envelope and stamps are not included. Articles submitted only by facsimile or e-mail cannot be considered, except Marshall George, Fordham University when sent from overseas. Wendy Glenn, University of Connecticut Gail P. Gregg, Florida International University REVIEW PROCESS. Each manuscript will receive a blind review by the editor and at least two members of the Robin Denise Groce, Mississippi State University editorial review board, unless the length, style, or content makes it inappropriate for publication. Usually, authors Kay Bushman Haas, Ottawa, Kansas should expect to hear the results within eight weeks. Manuscripts are judged for the contribution they make to the Kathy Headley, Clemson University field of adolescent literature, clarity and cohesiveness, timeliness, and freshness of approach. Selection also depends Sarah Herz, Westport, Connecticut Kaavonia M. Hinton-Johnson, Old Dominion University on the manuscript’s contribution to the overall balance of the journal. Ted Hipple, University of Tennessee PUBLICATION OF ARTICLES. The ALAN Review assumes that accepted manuscripts have not been published previ Rita Karr, Oklahoma Road Middle School, Maryland ously in any other journals and/or books, nor will they be published subsequently without permission of The ALAN Review. Joan Kaywell, University of South Florida Kathryn Kelly, Radford University Should the author submit the manuscript to more than one publication, he/she should notify The ALAN Review. If a Patricia P. Kelly, Virginia Tech submitted or accepted manuscript is accepted by another publication prior to publication in The ALAN Review, the Daphne Key, Papillon, Nebraska author should immediately withdraw the manuscript from publication in The ALAN Review. Teri S. Lesesne, Sam Houston State University Terry C. Ley, Auburn University, Emeritus Manuscripts that are accepted may be edited for clarity, accuracy, readability, and publication style. Rob Lockhart, Morehead State University Upon publication, the author will receive two copies of The ALAN Review in which the article appears. Publication usually Caroline McKinney, University of Colorado at Boulder occurs within 18 months of acceptance. Arlene Harris Mitchell, University of Cincinnati William R. Mollineaux, Sedgwick Middle School, Connecticut DEADLINES. Please observe these deadlines if you wish to have your article considered for a particular Elaine O’Quinn, Appalachian State issue of The ALAN Review. Elizabeth Poe, University of West Virginia FALL ISSUE Deadline: MAY 15 Suzanne Reid, Emory and Henry College Gary Salvner, Youngstown State University WINTER ISSUE Deadline: OCTOBER 15 Barbara G. Samuels, University of Houston at Clear Lake SUMMER ISSUE Deadline: FEBRUARY 15 John S. Simmons, Florida State University, Emeritus Cover credits: The ALAN Review cover was designed by Jim Blasingame. Credit lines for individual book jackets as follows: Robert C. Small, Radford University Elaine C. Stephens, Michigan BIG CITY COOL: STORIES ABOUT URBAN YOUTH. Edited by M. Jerry Weiss and Helen S. Weiss. Reprinted by permission from Persea Barbara Stover, Chatfield Senior High School Books, cover photograph by Andrew Errington/Getty Images, cover design by Leslie Goldman. LOCAL NEWS: A COLLECTION OF Lois Stover, St. Mary’s College of Maryland STORIES by Gary Soto, reprinted by permission from Scholastic, Inc., cover art by Peter Fiore. HOW ANGEL PETERSON GOT HIS NAME Alan Teasley, Durham, North Carolina by Gary Paulsen reprinted by permission from Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, jacket Illustration by Mary Ann Tighe, Troy State University Tom Nick Cocotos, jacket design by Melissa J. Knight. BUCKING THE SARGE by Christopher Paul Curtis reprinted by permission from Ellis Vance, Fresno County Office of Education Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, jacket hand lettering and illustration © 2004 by Maria Stroster. Elizabeth Watts, Broward County, Florida MIDNIGHT BLUE by Pauline Fisk, reprinted by permission of Bloomsbury USA, jacket design by Steffanie Levin. ENNA BURNING by Shannon Hale, reprinted by permission from Bloomsbury USA, jacket by Allison Jay. TANGLED THREADS: A HMONG GIRL’S STORY by Ann Wilder, Durham, North Carolina Pegi Deitz Shea, Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin, jacket illustration © 2003 by Ericka O’Rourke. THE BOY WHO SAVED Carole Williams, St. Louis, Missouri BASEBALL by John H. Ritter. Used by permission of Philomel Books, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group, A Member of Penguin Susan N. Wood, Florida State University Group (USA), Inc., 345 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. All rights reserved. HOPE WAS HERE by Joan Bauer. Used by permission Geri Yaccino, St. Charles Middle School, Illinois of G.P. Putnam’s Sons, A Division of Penguin Young Readers Group, A Member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc., 345 Hudson Street, New Connie Zitlow, Ohio Wesleyan University York, NY 10014. All rights reserved.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

aTOC/Mast_TAR_Summer05 2 6/7/05, 5:00 PM Jim Blasingame & Lori Goodson

From the Editors

ummer shines brightly across the nation, and Service Award, shares what it’s like in the world of with it often comes an opportunity for a publishing. S vacation—a respite from the daily routine. Author Shannon Hale continues our journey, With your break—no matter how brief—from the explaining the art of telling archetypal stories, while everyday concerns, we hope you’ll take some time to Joseph O. Milner explores life on the fringe of society venture with us along “A Road Less Traveled,” our for many protagonists in Kay Smith’s High School theme for this issue of The ALAN Review, as we Connection. Wendy Glenn then shares details of continue to explore the growing field of young adult fiction shaped by history, based on two current literature. authors, Julie Chibbaro and Jennifer Donnelly. First- Patty Campbell, ALAN president, begins our time contributor Katherine E. Proukou discusses the unique journey with a preview of the fall 2005 ALAN nature of young adult literature through traditional workshop set for Pittsburgh. With the theme of lenses and examines whether the genre is a rite of “Bearers of Light: The Caring Community of Young passage or a rite of its own. Adult Literature,” the workshop guarantees to provide And, as a tribute to a woman who blazed many numerous roads to navigate when using young adult historic and vital trails in literacy and reader response, literature. The workshop kicks off with Yann Martel, Duane Roen and Nicholas Karolides discuss the life author of The Life of Pi, speaking at the annual ALAN and times of Louise Rosenblatt, who passed away breakfast. From there, it’s two full days of leading earlier this year. ALAN award winner Jacqueline authors, publishers, and other experts in the field. Be Woodson discusses her novels and how she attempts, sure to check out the tentative schedule to see when through the written word, to help young people stand some of the top names in young adult literature will up for their beliefs. be sharing with conference-goers. Finally, in our regular columns, we provide the This issue also features Steven T. Bickmore’s Clip and File section featuring reviews of 31 of the teaching approaches for Joseph Buchac’s Heart of a latest in young adult literature. Chief, as well as an interview with the Native Ameri Be prepared for an issue filled with a variety of can author. Pete Hautman provides a humorous less traveled roads—all different and interesting narrative of how he won a national book award for options to reach our one primary destination, making Godless, while another award-winner—John Mason of the most of young adult literature. Enjoy this literary Scholastic Inc., who received the 2004 Ted Hipple vacation; it’s a valuable journey.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 3 6/7/05, 4:59 PM Announcement from Catherine Balkin, ALAN website, we will publish only your name, ALAN Authors’ Bureau Coordinator school or university affiliation, city and state. All requests for speaking engagements will be filtered Dear ALAN Member: through the Speakers Bureau. Since the purpose of ALAN is to promote the In return for this service, we ask that you pay reading, teaching, and appreciation of literature for ALAN a finder’s fee of 15% of the honorarium you adolescents, the Board has created an ALAN Speakers receive from each speaking engagement. The money Bureau to advance the reading and use of young adult that ALAN receives from this service will go back into literature in schools, libraries and other settings. the membership by way of grants, programs, etc., to We are currently collecting speakers’ names for a advance our stated purpose. A satisfaction survey will posting on the ALAN website. If you are interested in be sent to each school or university after the speaker becoming a guest speaker at school, library, or program, and upon request, we will be happy to share university functions, or if you already do a lot of the results of the survey with you. speaking, a mention on the ALAN website could If you are interested in joining the ALAN Speakers generate a number of requests for you. Bureau, or if you have any questions, please contact If you would like to be included, please provide Catherine Balkin at telephone 718-857-7605 or us with your name, address, phone number, and email [email protected]. Also, if you were address, and tell us your honorarium range, how previously on the ALAN Speakers Bureau and wish to many presentations you are willing to do each day, continue to be on it, please contact Catherine Balkin your audience preference (YAs only, adults only, with the above mentioned details. We look forward to both), what kinds of subjects you are comfortable working with you on this enterprise. with and how far you’re willing to travel. On the

Call for Manuscripts

2005 Fall theme: Finding My Way This theme is intended to solicit articles about young adult literature and its use dealing with the search for self. This theme is meant to be open to interpretation and support a broad range of subtopics, but some possibilities include examination and discussion of the approach an author or group of authors take to leading protagonists down the path to self discovery, comparisons of how this is accomplished across subgenres of young adult literature, or how young adult literature compares to developmental or adolescent psychology. We welcome and encourage other creative interpretations of this theme.

2006 Winter The theme for our 2006 winter issue will reflect the theme of the 2005 ALAN Workshop, Bearers of Light: The Caring Community of Young Adult Literature. October 15 submission deadline.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 4 6/7/05, 4:59 PM Patty Campbell

Bearers of Light: The Caring Community of Young Adult Literature: A Welcome from ALAN President Patty Campbell

n a dark world, young adult literature is a beacon On both days you will also be faced with a of light for teens—books that help them through difficult choice among a variety of exciting and I risky times with wisdom, beauty, and laughter. The practical breakout presentations, with many handouts, authors who write these books, the publishers who on vital topics such as booktalking (Joni Richards produce them, the teachers and librarians who bring Bodart), poetry (Bob Falls of Poetry Alive), the best them to teens, all care about young people and their new books (Walter Mayes, BER), Native Americans in reading, and about each other, in a community of YA lit (Jim Blasingame of Arizona State University and mutual respect and encouragement. This year the Kenan Metzger of Haskell Indian Nations University), ALAN Workshop invites you to celebrate being part of religious themes in YA historical fiction (Joanne this world, to hear a wide variety of YA authors speak Brown, Drake University), and much more. As you about their joy in writing for young readers and their can see, these small-group sessions will be conducted dedication to excellence, to meet and talk with these by leading authorities in the field. There will be writers, to discuss current literary trends and issues of opportunities for book signings during the workshop, concern, to learn about the newest and best books for and every attendee will receive a large bag of free teens, and to encounter field-tested ideas for introduc books. As the frosting on this already rich cake, a ing YA literature to young people. group of teens from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Anthologist and longtime ALAN member Donald under the direction of young adult librarian Robyn Gallo will deliver the keynote address, and forty YA Hammer-Clarey, will perform an excerpt from a new authors will appear as speakers and panelists, includ play by Paul Fleischman. ing Walter Dean Myers, Harry Mazer, Caroline Cooney, The ALAN Workshop has been called “the best YA Laurie Halse Anderson, Joan Bauer, Annette Curtis show in the world” and is an incomparable opportu Klause, Alex Flinn, Graham Salisbury, Nancy Garden, nity for professional growth. The audience planned is Han Nolan, Tom Barron, Michael Cadnum, Chris no more than 400, and in the past ALAN has had to Lynch, Paul Fleischman, Lynne Cox, and many others. turn away applicants beyond that number. Register Panels will discuss an array of concerns such as early, don’t miss out! “Caring about Books on War,” “Caring about Teens’ Search for Spiritual Truth,” “Beyond Chick Lit,” (Early online registration is available at “Caring about Kids Who Don’t Like to Read,” “Caring www.NCTE.org, at $150 for members, $160 for about Hispanic Culture in YA Literature, “Caring about nonmembers, and $75 for students.) Knowing the Past,” and “The Many Varieties of Speculative Fiction.”

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 5 6/7/05, 4:59 PM The ALAN (P)review Fall 2005 Workshop

The fall 2005 ALAN Workshop is scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the star-studded lineup is filled with well-known authors, publishers, and experts in the field of young adult literature. The activities actually kick off with the annual breakfast featuring Yann Martel, celebrated author of The Life of Pi, on Saturday, November 19, and a reception on Sunday evening, sponsored by publishers, will give all us ordinary folk a chance to chat with our favorite authors. Here’s a workshop preview showing what you can look forward to in Pittsburgh.—JB & LG

ALAN Workshop 2005 Bearers of Light: The Caring Community of Young Adult Literature Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania November 21-22, 2005

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21 11:20-12:00—CARING ABOUT KNOWING THE PAST 8:00-8:10—WELCOME Moderator Joanne Brown, Drake University, Des Patty Campbell, ALAN President Moines, IA 8:10-8:40—KEYNOTE ADDRESS Michael Cadnum, William Durbin, Jeanette Donald Gallo, Solon, Ohio Ingold, Graham Salisbury, Diane Lee Wilson Courtesy of Candlewick Courtesy of Scholastic, Harcourt, Random House, Chair: Sarah K. Herz, Westport, Connecticut and Simon & Schuster 8:40-9:10—Joan Bauer 12:00-1:15—Lunch “Bearers of Light” 1:15-1:55—CARING ABOUT HISPANIC CULTURE IN Courtesy of Penguin Putnam YA LITERATURE Chair: Mary Arnold, Cuyahoga County Public Moderator Lori Marie Carlson, Henry Holt Library, Cleveland, OH Judith Ortiz Cofer, Pam Munoz Ryan, Benjamin 9:10–10:00—CARING ABOUT BOOKS ON WAR Alire Saenz Moderator Marc Aronson, Candlewick Courtesy Henry Holt, Scholastic, Cinco Puntos Paul Fleischman, Harry Mazer, Jim Murphy, 1:55-2:35—THE MANY VARIETIES OF SPECULATIVE Walter Dean Myers FICTION Courtesy Candlewick, Simon & Schuster, Clarion, Moderator Diane Tuccillo, City of Mesa Library, and HarperCollins Mesa, AZ 10:00-10:30—Nancy Gardner Tom Barron, Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson, Kenneth Courtesy of Farrar Straus Giroux Oppel, Tamora Pierce, Marcus Sedgwick Chair: James Cook, Dayton Metro Library, Dayton, Courtesy Penguin Putnam, Roaring Brook, OH HarperCollins, Random House 10:30-10:50—Coffee break 2:35-3:00—Soda break 10:50–11:20—Alex Flinn 3:00-3:55—BREAKOUT SESSIONS “Caring about Kids with Troubles” “Booktalking the 2005 ALAN Workshop Authors” Courtesy HarperCollins Joni Richards Bodart, San Jose State University Chair: Wendy Glenn, University of Connecticut “Poetry Performance in the Classroom”

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 6 6/7/05, 5:00 PM Bob Falls, Poetry Alive Harcourt “Hearing the Silent Voices: YA Literature by, for, 10:00-10:30—Chris Lynch and about Native Americans” Courtesy of HarperCollins James Blasingame, Arizona State University Chair: Jeffrey Kaplan, University of Central Florida Kenan Metzger, Haskell Indian Nations University 10:30-10:50—Coffee break Marlinda Kaulaity, Arizona State University 10:50-11:30—BEYOND CHICK LIT: CARING ABOUT Wendy Kelleher, Arizona State University WHAT GIRLS READ Katie Mason, Arizona State University Moderator Michael Cart, UCLA Nina Murikami, Arizona State University Caroline Cooney, Carolyn MacCullough, Sharon “Joyous Enlightenment: Introducing Future Flake, Mary Pearson, Fiona Rosenbloom Teachers to Young Adult Literature” Courtesy of Random House, Roaring Brook, Angela Beumer Johnson, Wright State University, Hyperion, and Henry Holt OH 11:30-12:00—Lynne Cox—Swimming to Antarctica “The ALAN Foundation: Support for Your Courtesy of Harcourt Research” Chair: Chris Crowe, Brigham Young University Gary Salvner, Youngstown State University, OH 12:00-1:15—Lunch John Noell Moore, The College of William and 1:15-1:45—Annette Curtis Klause Mary, Williamsburg, VA Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Mary Warner, San Jose State University Chair: Linda Pavonetti, Oakland University, Jean E. Brown, Rhode Island College Rochester, MI “Teaching a Love of Reading: How to Rehabilitate 1:45-2:30—CARING ABOUT KIDS WHO DON’T LIKE Reluctant Readers” TO READ Daria Plumb, Dundee Alternative High School, Moderator Ed Sullivan, Library Media Specialist, Dundee, MI Knoxville, TN 4:00-4:30—Paul Fleischman Eloise Flood (Razorbill), Marilyn Reynolds, “About Zap” Alan Lawrence Sitomer, Andrew Courtesy of Candlewick Wooldridge (Soundings) Chair: Patrick Jones, Richfield, Minnesota Courtesy of Penguin Putnam, Hyperion, Orca 4:30-5:00—AN EXCERPT FROM ZAP 2:30-2:50—Soda break Performed by the young adults of Carnegie 2:50-3:10—BREAKOUT SESSIONS Library of Pittsburgh “Walter’s Lively and Opinionated Look at the Robyn Hammer-Clarey, Young Adult Coordinator Best of 2005” TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Walter Mayes, The Girls’ Middle School, Mountain 8:00-8:15—A WORD ABOUT ALAN MEMBERSHIP View, CA Joan Kaywell, Membership Secretary, University “Bearing Light, Exploring Darkness: Religious of South Florida-Tampa Themes in YA Historical Fiction” 8:15-8:30—THE ALAN REVIEW Joanne Brown, Drake University, Des Moines, IA James Blasingame and Lori Atkins Goodson, “Creating Classroom Connections Between Co-Editors University and Secondary Students 8:30-9:00—Laurie Halse Anderson Through Young Adult Literature” Courtesy of Penguin Putnam Lisa A. Hazlett, University of South Dakota Chair: Catherine Balkin, Balkin Buddies Judith Hayn, Loyola University, Chicago 9:00-10:00—CARING ABOUT TEENS’ SEARCH FOR Melissa Vatter-Miller, Reitz High School, IA SPIRITUAL TRUTH “New Kids on the Block: Shining a Light on Moderator Teri Lesesne, Sam Houston State First-time Writers for Young Adults” University Teri Lesesne, Sam Houston State University Elsie Aidinoff, Pete Hautman, Han Nolan Mary Arnold, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Courtesy of HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, Cleveland, OH

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 7 6/7/05, 5:00 PM Bonnie Kunzel, New Jersey State Library 3:15-3:55—SPOTLIGHT ON NEW AUTHORS “Hot-Burning Torches: Teaching YA Books that Andrew Auseon, Alfred Martino, Stephanie Sizzle with Controversy” Hemphill, and Linda Oatman High Toby Emert, University of Kentucky Courtesy of Harcourt, Hyperion, and Bloomsbury Aaron Levy, Kennesaw State University Chair: Carolyn Lott, University of Montana Kristi Piper, Danbury High School, Texas 3:55-4:00—A PREVIEW OF ALAN 2006 AND FARE Laraine Wallowitz, Adelphi University WELL Lana Taylor Warren, Obion County Central High Diane Tuccillo, ALAN President-Elect School, Tennessee “Reaching Diverse Communities with Young Plan to attend the 2006 ALAN Workshop in Adult Literature” Nashville, Tennessee Steven Bickmore, University of Georgia Contact 2005 ALAN President Diane Tuccillo Melanie Hundley, University of Georgia ([email protected])

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

b3_8TAR_Summer05 8 6/7/05, 5:00 PM Roger Caswell

“A Voice, a Power, a Space in the World”: 2004 ALAN Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson Talks about Her Works

had the delightful fortune of dining King Honor) you used verse to tell with Jacqueline Woodson at a a young man’s story. What I Penguin-sponsored dinner while at challenges did that present to you, NCTE 2004 in Indianapolis, shortly the writer, and what impact do you after Ms. Woodson received the 2004 think poetry has with young ALAN Award. Through conversation people (or all people) versus and listening to her read from a work prose? in progress, I experienced a voice drenched in a poignancy I have come JW: I think the biggest challenge was to expect from her written words. Like trying to get inside a young man’s many readers, I became a fan from my head—via poetry. I mean, how first Woodson novel. And as a middle does an eleven-year-old come to a school teacher, I confidently place her poem, what is his thought process, books into the hands of my students how does the poem appear on the because Woodson writes of them and for them. Her page, how does he feel about it once it’s there . . . characters are not stick figures to move a plot but I, as always, doubted my ability to tell Lonnie’s representative of adolescents, regardless of race or story. But once I let myself go to that place and feel gender. what it felt like for ME to be in fifth grade discover Woodson has been honored twice as a National ing MY voice for the first time, the writing just Book Award Finalist, three times with a Coretta Scott came and kept on coming. I think poetry has the King Honor, and once with the Coretta Scott King ability to make people think. It’s short and provoca Award. Her books consistently rank high on the ALA tive and when it’s not written in some arrogant Best Books for Young Adults, and she has received code—when it’s truly poetry for the people—then it numerous state awards for her exceptional and honest has the ability to make people feel like they have a portrayal of young people. voice, a power, a space in the world. To the question asked on her website about if she would ever stop writing, Woodson responds: “Prob RC: Life can be cruel in the real world and literature ably not even when I die. I love writing that much.” alike. The events that leave Ty’ree, Charlie, and For her legion of readers, I can only hope her words Lafayette orphaned in Miracle’s Boys (2000, a continue to instill a genuine voice in quality young Coretta Scott King Award winner) are relentlessly adult literature. tragic, but young people love this book. In I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This (1994 and your first Coretta RC: In Locomotion (2003 and your third Coretta Scott Scott King Honor) Lena has a horrible secret that

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

c9_11TAR_Summer05 9 6/7/05, 4:59 PM never is told to people who could help, but again, my own and those who come to my books. I have a young people love this book. What do you think it daughter now—and many other young people in is about the tragedies of life that appeal to young my life. I want their world to be a safe place for readers in a well-written story? them—I want them to love their bodies and have control over those bodies. I want them to do the JW: I think for young people, adolescence is the work they love and not worry about starving to greatest tragedy, so seeing some of themselves death doing it. I want them to always think of the reflected in the lives of others gives their own lives greater good in each act. Writing helps me envision some sort of value and this, articulate it, create it. truth. There is this ‘me We’re living in a danger- against them’ sense RC: You have written sequels (Lena, 1999; Behind ous time . . . when the act about being young, and Yo u , 2004) and even a trilogy (Last Summer with struggling with others is Maizon, 1990; Maizon at Blue Hill, 1992; Between of making art can be a way of making that Madison and Palmetto, 1993). How is it different in feeling more collective the writing process to continue an established story dangerous, when people somehow. line? find ways of justifying RC: People in your books JW: When I’m writing a sequel, it’s like going back hatred, intolerance, igno- (From the Notebooks of into an old familiar house and revisiting the people Melanin Sun, 1995 and there. They are just as I left them in the last book, rance—as the population your second Coretta and it feels kind of amazing to find them that way, Scott King Honor, The to remember them as they were. The territory is grows and the middle Dear One, 1991, for familiar yet open to new ideas. When I’m starting class shrinks. I am trying examples) often have to to write a new story—that is not part of a sequel, deal with each other, it’s a bit scarier. I never know where a story is to write, always, against whether they like it or going, so I never know if I’ll get through it. not, and find a way to fear—my own and those make life work. How RC: How much of your experience working as a who come to my books. I does this, if at all, therapist with troubled youth shows up in your reflect a philosophy of writing? have a daughter now—and yours about life? JW: I don’t know. I think what I brought to working many other young people JW: I think, as I wrote in I with young people in crisis had always been in me, in my life. I want their Hadn’t Meant to Tell so it’s just natural that it remains with me. I have to You This—we all have a keep saying “Be open, girl,” no matter what the world to be a safe place right to be in this world. situation. That has always been true. We’re living in a for them. . . . dangerous time—when RC: Who have been some of the influential people in Christianity can be your life? about intolerance—which, growing up a Christian I know is the complete opposite of what it’s about, JW: Virginia Hamilton, James Baldwin, Nikki when our own society is xenophobic, when your Giovanni, James Taylor, Carson McCullers, Joanie family life is in peril simply because you’re poor or Mitchell, my grandmother, my daughter, my dog, of color or gay—or all of the above, when the act of some teachers, some students, some characters I making art can be dangerous, when people find met in other books . . . the list goes on. ways of justifying hatred, intolerance, ignorance— as the population grows and the middle class RC: Do you find sanctuary for writing in places like shrinks. I am trying to write, always, against fear— Whidbey Island and/or writing workshops? What

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

c9_11TAR_Summer05 10 6/7/05, 4:59 PM kind of environment best facilitates your work? my ideas across with limited space, how to stay true to my voice—things like that. JW: Sometimes I have to go away from where all of my living happens to be able to access the worlds RC: You mentioned The Other Side (2001) was written in my head. It’s lonely to do that—to leave my as a current story; however, the illustrator E. B. friends and family, to choose fiction over my real Lewis envisioned your text as taking place in the life. But it’s also rewarding—coming back home 1950’s. Since differences still exist today, do you and having TWO worlds instead of one. I don’t get believe your message was altered by the illustra to go away as much as I once did, but I do find tions? solace in long stretches of quiet. Sometimes, I just go to the Writer’s Room in Manhattan where I can JW: I think the altering of the message allowed the sit in silence among strangers. It’s hard because book an entry it may not have otherwise had— there is still so much New York City energy around People are more comfortable talking about segrega me but sometimes easier than being at home— tion as a thing of the past as opposed to talking where I have access to the Internet and a stack of about all the work we still have to do. The book is bills and various creaks reminding me what needs extremely popular in a way I don’t think it would to be done at home. Sometimes I sit in my backyard have been. I was bummed when I first saw the with my Ipod on and listen to the same album over illustrations—even though I thought they were and over while I write. That’s my spring plan. I stunning. But as years passed, I realized the need haven’t gotten much writing done all year. for it to be done that way.

RC: In addition to writing over thirteen novels for RC: What advice would you offer to young adult young adults, you have composed six picture readers about writing? books, beginning with Martin Luther King, Jr. and His Birthday (1990). Is there a different need for JW: Don’t be afraid. Fear keeps people from moving you as a writer to pen picture books? What age forward, from saying and writing what they mean, groups might learn from picture books? from DOING. Write because you love writing. Don’t listen to people who say you can’t or shouldn’t. We JW: Seven picture books—counting SHOW WAY which all have a story. Tell yours. is coming out in September! Picture books allow me to write poetry—they’re short and lyrical and Roger Caswell is a seventh grade language arts teacher at visual. I love being able to take that break. Doing Wamego Middle School in Wamego, KS. He is a Co- so helps me to remember that I should do the same Director of the Flint Hills Writing Project, in affiliation with older books—think about the language and with the National Writing Project, and a National Board the rhythm of them. Picture books allow me to Certified Teacher in Early Adolescence / English Language Arts challenge myself in ways that I like to—how to get

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

c9_11TAR_Summer05 11 6/7/05, 4:59 PM Steven Tueller Bickmore

Language At the Heart of the Matter: Symbolic Language and Ideology in The Heart of a Chief

“I just finished showing Dances With Wolves to my the Native American people takes a back seat to American literature class. I love that movie,” Jessie Dunbar’s experience.” announced as she walked into the faculty room. Mark, another history teacher, chimes in: Stan’s ears perked up as he listened closely. “Yes, it focuses so constantly on the white guy. “Every time I show it,” Jessie continued, “my When will Hollywood create a film where a Lakota, for students remark on the film’s beauty. Some even talk example, is allowed to tell the tribe’s story?” about how the sound track echoes the film’s emotions. I “I guess I should have considered that,” responds know it’s long, but it seems to introduce our Jessie. “Especially when I try so hard to include multicultural unit so well. It really generates genuine literature in my classroom about marginalized groups empathy for others.” written by members of those communities. I like “I know it is considered a classic.” Stan interjects, movies so much I often forget to use that critical eye I “Nevertheless, I often use segments of Dances with so often use when analyzing literature and apply it to Wolves to show how the film still movies.” advances stereotypes about the West “Yeah, me too,” Stan agrees. “I and Native Americans.” Many students in our used segments of the film in my “Oh, really?” Jessie asks. She history class for several years and pauses. “I always thought that it classrooms have not watched it a couple of times myself gives such a positive view of the before I realized that the film’s developed the critical Lakota people. Besides, Costner goes message side-stepped some impor out of his way to include the native skills to examine closely tant ideological issues for Native language and authentic clothing.” American activists.” “Yes, he does,” Stan continues both the craft and the “I think you have helped me “but imagine how you might feel frame a follow-up discussion for about the portrayal of the Pawnee ideology of any work of tomorrow,” concludes Jessie. “As a throughout the movie if you were a art. As language arts class we should consider how the modern-day Pawnee.” Jessie looks power of art could help us see some on thoughtfully. “The film still teachers, part of our job is issues as well as not see others.” advances the stereotype of the good Indian against the bad Indian and to help them examine art This brief, and admittedly idealistic, places the white man in the position more completely, espe faculty room conversation about of savior.” Dances With Wolves demonstrates “I agree,” adds Debbie, another cially with literature. how a piece of art might be finely English teacher. “The genocide of crafted and praised by many; yet,

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upon closer examination, the same piece of art can advocates considering how ideology is presented and still present ideological problems. This is not only true asks teachers to read carefully and to contemplate the of the films we choose to include in our classrooms; embedded messages of the texts that they will, in turn, but it is equally true with the literature we select. share with their students. Many students in our classrooms have not developed New teachers should the critical skills to examine closely both the craft and learn to carefully examine the ideology of any work of art. As language arts the literary techniques and The critique of a story is teachers, part of our job is to help them examine art the ideologies of the books more completely, especially with literature. they choose to teach and one measure of a book, It is important to remember that adolescents read share with their students. the books that we, as teachers and critics of young Through a careful analysis the enjoyment and satis- adult literature, discuss and enjoy. Adolescents are the of the books that are faction that a story brings primary audience for this literature and hopefully, if a published and available for young adult book is successful, more young people teachers and librarians to to young readers is quite than adults will read it. Recommending a book choose from, critics of because it is beautifully written and well crafted is adolescent literature, another. To evaluate the often not enough, especially if the book advances teacher educators, and skill and craft with which stereotypes and cultural misrepresentations. The teachers themselves opposite is also true; it is not enough for a book to be should employ the tools of a story is rendered is a culturally accurate and receive praise if it lacks craft literary analysis to mediate and artisanship. Those of us who both admire and the variety of ideologies much different task than analyze young adult literature, whether we consider that any given text either ourselves teacher educators or literary critics, can presents or neglects. Lyle critiquing a novel’s ideo- provide teachers with the critical tools needed to (1997) reports that logical stance. engage students in discussions about books that “ideology naturalizes, it include conversations of both craft and ideology. historicizes, and it Keeping in mind this dual consideration, one side of eternalizes” (1). If this is the case, then an examina this approach suggests that critics and teacher educa tion of how carefully the ideology is embedded in the tors prepare novice teachers with the ability to craft of the novel should aid in an overall evaluation of recognize literary elements, metaphors, symbols, and the text. Hollindale (1992) suggests “developments in figurative language. The other side of the approach literary theory have made us newly aware of the omnipresence of ideology in all literature” (23). We are all subject to the influence of ideology, which can briefly be defined as the positions, theories, and aims that form a sociopolitical view. The ability to evaluate the merit of any idea is a valuable skill to help students develop. With practice, students can learn to identify and critique ideologies in the books they read. It is with this goal, that I embrace Hollindale’s agenda, “Our priority in the world of children’s books should not be to promote ideology but to understand it, and find ways of helping others understand it, including the children themselves” (27). We can’t dismiss out of hand every book that does not align with our own ideological leanings nor can we avoid books of poor literary quality. Unfortunately, this often feels like the only course available, even though, in reality, many

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books of both commendable intrusion may feel overused. On the literary quality and a variety of Throughout the novel other hand, we might admire the ideological stances exist in schools ideological stance of a novel, but and libraries. Chris bridges the gulf feel that its presentation is didactic, The critique of a story is one rather than subtly woven through measure of a book, the enjoyment between two languages as the fabric of the narrative. It is in and satisfaction that a story brings he walks in and out of this spirit of a combined evaluation to young readers is quite another. that I, through the lenses of critic, To evaluate the skill and craft with two linguistic worlds. His teacher educator, and classroom which a story is rendered is a much teacher, trouble my own satisfac different task than critiquing a ability to use two lan tion with The Heart of a Chief by novel’s ideological stance. While guages helps him travel in analyzing the symbolic use of the two approaches are different, names and use of public discourse both are important considerations distinct environments, by Chris, the novel’s main character when providing teachers with the (Bruchac, 1998). tools they need to select novels for leaving important “dis their students. I would argue that, Explicating the Language of the course gifts” at the doors as teacher educators in literacy Novel programs, we could, indeed, do of both the “white” world In Joseph Bruchac’s The Heart both. We would just find a larger of a Chief, symbolic language and range of conclusions about the of Rangerville and the its uses are central issues. Language novels we consider. Regardless of exhibits its force throughout the whether we are a critic who favors “Indian” world of novel in a variety of forms includ craft or one who privileges ideol- Penacook reservation. ing: (1) the use of names with ogy, we place books along a multiple symbolic meanings and (2) continuum of approval. By consid moments of public discourse that ering both criteria carefully, the complexity of the represent a powerful tool for understanding both continuum in which we evaluate the quality of a book within and between cultural groups in the novel. expands. We might find that we admire both the Bruchac’s expert use of these literary tools draws the craftsmanship and the ideology of a novel or we might reader into the narrative of an engaging and compel- admire one and trouble the other or, as often is the ling text. Because a Native American writes the novel, case, we can find both lacking and consider the novel it avoids the issue of representation that often haunts weak and unsatisfactory. Of course, the ideal for a even well crafted novels, but that are written by teacher or critic of adolescent literature would be to authors outside the ethnic community the novel find examples of books that fit into the first category, attempts to portray (Yolen, 1992; Woodson, 2003). where the novel rates high in both categories and use This paper presents evidence that The Heart of a Chief those books with the students we teach at any level. is tightly crafted, especially in terms of the symbolic The notion that we could quickly build such a list use of language, it will also consider if the ending is of books, with its accompanying ranking, and then equally satisfying with its quick and tidy resolution. use only those books, is a highly romantic notion and Does the novel adequately consider a resolution that would ignore the numerous books that are already in addresses the racial conflict that exists in the larger libraries and classrooms. It is important to note that community of the story? Does it address the potential the process of selecting books is not as simple as it decay within the tribal community as represented by might sound. We may admire most of the literary the advent of a casino on the edge of the reservation qualities and disapprove of only a few in the course of property? Can the Penacooks be led into the future by the novel. On one hand, a novel may have an ending a chief with the inability to communicate effectively in that is too quickly resolved, a character’s symbolic use the traditional language? might be too transparent, or the use of authorial

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Examining the Names than that of the lost saint mentioned by Chris’ father. In The Heart of a Chief the symbolic possibilities Christopher also has Christ at the root and means of the main character’s name are complex (Bruchac, literally “bearing Christ” (Campbell, 1996-2002).1 1998). When Chris Nicola explains his names, the While the traditional language and customs still carry reader is on a journey of discovery. In English, he is power on the reservation, the native peoples attend named for two saints, and in his native Penacook the Christian church. Can this religion provide language his name means “bridge.” He is named after answers to the Penacook tribe if the symbol of a traveler and a giver of sacred gifts in English. In movement, Saint Christopher, is stripped of its power? Penacook, the name is “only supposed to be spoken This is a group of people who face serious challenges when you’re on the water, or in sight of it” (3-4). as they travel into the future. The traditional uses of However, the word “bridge” is a short translation for their land shrink and the influences of the outer world “Log Resting Firm on Both Shores and Wide Enough continue to encroach. The resources of this “new” to Walk Upon” (4). Throughout the novel Chris religion have been found wanting. The author’s ironic bridges the gulf between two languages as he walks in use of the name troubles the value of the white and out of two linguistic worlds. His ability to use two religion for these people and their future. By counter languages helps him travel in distinct environments, ing this white name with the native name the author leaving important “discourse gifts” at the doors of points to the power of tradition and suggests a method both the “white” world of Rangerville and the “In of return. The literary trope of naming and the dian” world of the Penacook reservation. It is in the ideology work hand in hand. symbolic meanings of these names that the author’s ideology manifests itself most clearly. Pontiac’s legacy Chris’s identity as a traveler is supported by the St. Christopher, the demoted saint symbolic use of another proper name. His grand St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, has father’s old Pontiac is now only a symbol of travel been “demoted” by the Catholic Church “because they mounted on blocks. The car’s model invites a com think he never really lived” (Bruchac, 3). What does it parison to Chief Pontiac, who led the Ottawa Indians mean to be given the name of a myth, of the person in the 1750s and was the head of an intertribal group who never was? Chris’ father, Mito, consisting of the Ottawa, is separated and lost from the tribe. Potawatomi, and Ojibwa people He continually looks for ways to “The old Pontiac doesn’t (Encarta®, 2003). The car once return. Chris replaces the demoted served his grandfather as he patron Saint Christopher, suggesting have any tires and it sits traveled around the area maintain that the one who guides the lost ing his connection with other native traveler must come from up on blocks” (100-101). native tribes (Bruchac, 101). within the tribe. While his English The efforts to preserve alliances This tool, co-opted from name suggests his significance to between tribes, sustaining their the traveler, it is in the connecting the white man, is no culture in the face of the advancing power of the native name, as a white culture, become more bridge, that provides the traveler a longer meeting the needs difficult; “it has been ten years way back. Chris’ actions are an since there was a battery. But even attempt to communicate in and of the tribe. Can any tool, if there was one, the old Pontiac between both worlds of the novel. then, taken from the doesn’t have any tires and it sits up His success or failure at this task on blocks” (100-101). This tool, co takes on significant ideological white man successfully opted from the white man, is no importance in the novel’s ultimate longer meeting the needs of the message. meet the needs of this tribe. Can any tool, then, taken The name, Christopher, also tribe? from the white man successfully carries religious significance other meet the needs of this tribe?

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Chris sits in the car and imagines the journey that 1998). Selecting Columbus’ name, with the baggage it he must make. When his grandfather comes to talk carries in the Native American community, troubles with him in the car, Chris tells him, “Can’t take my the action of the character that bears the name and hands of the wheel when I’m driving” (Bruchac, 107). the solutions that he participates in are ambiguous. His grandfather understands the difficulty and re Certainly, Bruchac wants the readers to consider the sponds, “not when we still got such a long way to go” burden this name places on the character, just as a (107). It is even a longer way to go when the symbolic variety of influences from the white culture place vehicle of travel in this book is inoperable. Neverthe burdens on native peoples as they try them on. Native less, together Chris and his grandfather build a bridge peoples often negotiate new names, but also new between each other that covers the generational gap clothes, new homes, new religions, and new ways of that Mito, Chris’s father, has left in the family. Mito is making a living. This use of a name that suggests so the lost traveler in the story, the one who has wan much ambiguity, troubles the tone of the novel. Can a dered and looks to return. While Chris looks for ways character with this name reclaim its positive power to help the lost traveler return, Mito’s own father, and supply the community with appropriate and Dado, with his experience as a provider for the tribe useful gifts? The symbolism of the name “Christian” and the family, supports Chris in his efforts. His and its close association with Columbus suggests an attempts to help his father’s return ideology that troubles the tidy foreshadow his efforts to help the conclusion of the novel. To present tribe. As Chris and his grandfather Certainly, Bruchac wants such a conflicting message and support each other to bridge the leave it untreated weakens the the readers to consider gap left in the family, they work overall ideological stance of the together to close the gap that is left the burden this name novel. in the tribe. Again, the ideology of the text is intertwined in the places on the character, The Gifts of St. Nicholas craftsmanship of the novel. Chris’s family name, Nicola, is just as a variety of influ a shortened version of Nicholas, Deconstructing Columbus ences from the white “back when the Europeans gave us The name, Christopher, also names, we still said and spelled carries the added burden of being culture place burdens on them our own way” (Bruchac, 3). the first name of Columbus. The St. Nicholas is most commonly irony that an Indian boy carries that native peoples as they try known as Santa Claus, and as name and also serves as the hero of them on. such, is the giver of gifts. In a pure a story about conflict among native sense, the person should be a giver peoples is hard to ignore. Many of gifts that reminds Christians of books, published just before the quincentenary of the gift of Christ’s life. He is also the patron saint of Columbus’s arrival in this continent in 1492, ignore children. Its original etymology stems from the Greek the destructive influence of Columbus’s arrival. One name Nikolaos that means “victory of the people” children’s book, Encounter, gives a very different from Greek nike “victory” and laos “people.” The representation of the event in both the text and the name suggests a powerful victory for this young boy illustrations (Yolen and Shannon, 1992). The novel who travels back and forth between two worlds. As a breaks new ground in its presentation of Christopher giver of gifts, Chris seeks the gift that will be of value Columbus with its portrayal of the destruction of an for his people. It is his ancestral duty and their gift to entire tribe of people. Bruchac, a Native American of the tribe. In his letter Mito reminds the tribe, “[o]ur the Abenaki people, a novelist, and an educator, is family has always defended the heart of our land. We certainly aware of the controversy surrounding will not stop doing that. . . . If we have to sacrifice a Christopher Columbus. The name, Christopher, with part of the land, it should not be the heart” (151-152). its multiple meanings results in a problematic choice With this in mind, the family’s next gift is a gift of for the protagonist of The Heart of a Chief (Bruchac, land, land that is on the edge of the reservation

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instead of at its heart on the island (152). While the this unspoken name that Bruchac has most powerfully land will be lost to a casino, it is land that has known blended the use of the literary trope of naming and greater loss; an accidental fire has killed several ideology. Leaving the name unknown to the reader members of the Nicola family (70-71). If the land can gives it added strength. The text continually suggests now save the heart of the land, perhaps the dead can that the English names are inadequate. If they work at now rest (152). The family seeks to provide for the all, it is in conjunction with the Penacook name. It is tribe and bring closure to their own sense of loss. difficult to misread the political stance of the author with this theme. Being the Bridge Chris’s Penacook name presents an important Analyzing the Opportunities for Public Discourse interpretive activity for the readers of the novel. For Bruchac uses other language patterns to support readers, it is the unknown name. While all the names the ideology woven throughout the novel. He carefully given to Chris are connected with spirituality, this develops his main character as a boy bound to tribal name is the most powerful. The reader is never language and intrigued by its power and potential. allowed to read the name only its translation, it is Through a variety of opportunities for public discourse under erasure and we can only imagine its power Chris’ influence and growth is expressed in both his (Derrida, 1978). It is not given a native community and in the white clear sign or logos, the reader must community. provide the foundation on which to Bruchac uses other lan build this “almost” bridge. Chris Defending the island guage patterns to support serves as the connector between Throughout the novel, Chris is several groups and individuals in the ideology woven trying to appropriate the power of the novel. For example, he and his using both the English and the grandfather physically connect to throughout the novel. He Penacook languages, deciding bridge the emotional gap that which messages are clearest in each Mito’s absence has left in the carefully develops his language and to which audience. family. main character as a boy Chris’ action, after burning the He keeps his hands on my surveyor’s stakes, brings the shoulder. It rested there lightly, but bound to language and conversation concerning the tribe’s it is like a jumper cable attached to future into the open. In his excite a dead battery. It is all that keeps intrigued by its power and ment, he speaks in both Penacook me going right now, all that keeps potential. and English. This symbolic combi me from giving up. He knows what nation of languages represents the has just been taken away and he tribe’s two divisions and highlights knows what he is giving me. I look over at Doda and I the ideological tension of the novel. Tribal members see the sadness in his eyes. He has had something who hold close to the old language represent those taken away from him too. Part of my responsibility who resist the casino and the dangers that it may now, I see, is to give back to him (Bruchac, 107). bring. The new language, English, is representative of Together they build the bridge that covers the gap the new chief “who has forgotten a lot of [their] of Mito’s absence. The power of Chris’s native name language” and must have conversations translated for trumps the English name’s diminished power. The him (Bruchac, 150). Chris’s speech is powerful and problematic meanings of his English names in the captures the attention of his young friends and the modern world are given direction by the power of his adults who arrive to investigate the fire. Pencacook name. At the end of the novel, Chris and “Their eyes are wide and they are staring at me. Doda stand together in the tribal meeting and speak Gartersnake’s mouth is open. I am talking in both for Mito. By delivering his father’s message, Chris Penacook and English now. . . The island has to stay begins to bridge the gap of leadership that Mito has the way it is because it is our heart. It beats like a left in the tribe and to serve as his surrogate. It is with drum. I say it in Penacook. I don’t say much in

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Penacook, but every time I do, all decision making in the native of the adults look at me and then The kind of Indian you community (95). It is this method look at each other (45-46).” of collaborative activity that Chris Chris makes a stance as the don’t see in Hollywood experiments with in the larger defender of the island and for its community outside of the reserva position as the heart of the tribe’s movies. No noble savages. tion. land. In reality, it is a much larger No horses or headdresses. issue. What should the tribe do to What’s in a name? or What does flourish economically and still No tipis and no buffalo. it mean when you call me that? protect and nurture their lands and The next example of language traditions? No Tonto (which means as public discourses begins to While Chris may have the heart “idiot” in Spanish) to the position Chris as voice for his of a chief, he is still a novice in the people within the white world, tribe’s political conversations. It is Lone Ranger. We are a which surrounds and encroaches not until after church the following on the reservation. Chris begins to day that Chris begins to realize different kind. The kind of master the language of the con- what he has started. He is invited Indian who gets ignored queror. He is unanimously selected home with Belly Button’s family as the leader of his class group. and shunned by others, “a couple at best and treated like Using native people’s traditions, his of grown-ups patted me on my group decides to investigate the use back, while others turned their dirt at worst (23-24). of the Indian names for sports backs on me” (50). His friend’s teams. Chris is nominated to be the father indicates that the arrival of a leader of his group by Katie. Her casino will divide the tribe (50). He “realizes for the father is Mohawk and her mother is white; in this first time how some people feel that a casino is against position it is appropriate that she ushers Chris into our traditional way of life” (50). Chris’s position as a this position of power. With a foot in each world, she bridge within his family is clear. The question re- also serves as a bridge that provides Chris with the mains: Can he find the words to act as a bridge opportunity to represent his people in the predomi between the conflicts within the tribe? nantly white world. Although his position in the tribe is still in limbo, The native children are not immune to the racist he has spoken with power in both languages. This impulses in English. When Chris finds out that Katie is conflicting language use mirrors the conflicting an Indian, he begins to think about her in terms of a ideological impulses of the novel. Can the Penacook “Cherokee Princess” (23). Chris and his friends claim tribe maintain its identity while allowing the en- to know what kind of Indians they are, croachment of white society in the form of a casino? The kind of Indian you don’t see in Hollywood movies. N o His influence is strong as Auntie reports in a phone noble savages. No horses or headdresses. No tipis and no conversation with Mito, “‘[l]ike a sagamon,’ she says. buffalo. No Tonto (which means “idiot” in Spanish) to the ‘That’s how he talked, they say. Everyone had to Lone Ranger. We are a different kind. The kind of India n listen. It touched their hearts’” (63). He becomes the who gets ignored at best and treated like dirt at worst (23 instrument that bridges two opposing forces in the 24). debate. At this point in the narrative, the majority of This awareness does not, however, prevent them the tribe’s members favor the casino and the jobs it from referring to Katie as a “Cherokee Princess” and promises. His speeches have been impromptu and evoking the stereotypes that all female Indians must unpracticed to this point. He needs an apprentice, an be princesses and all males must be chiefs (23). Chris opportunity to think about the power of speech and its has much to learn as he progresses. As he negotiates presentation in public. The author makes it clear that the stereotypes that the white world has placed on the communal discourse with the opportunity for give and Indians, he must and does acknowledge that he is take among its members is the appropriate method of caught up in the perpetuation of the same racism. This

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self-conscious examination by the character is what is principal asks if a chief some years earlier was his missing from the ideology of the novel’s tidy resolu relative. Both Chris and the readers are reminded that tion. Bruchac creates a situation where the character’s this is a character with a legacy. The principal further contemplation of the ramifications of the tribe’s wonders why no one has raised the mascot issue actions would be a logical extension of the narrative; before, and Chris, now recognized as a Native Ameri unfortunately, it remains unconsidered and unex can who can speak with authority to a white audi plored. ence, responds, “Maybe they didn’t think anyone When Chris accepts the position as group leader, would listen” (132). Chris has positioned himself as he suggests they use his tribal rules for discussion and an individual who can speak and be listened to in decision-making. First, when some one is talking no both communities, which prepares him for his final one can interrupt and second, everyone has to agree public pronouncement in the novel. with the final decision (95). They agree and not only work together on the project but also have a conversa The surrogate speaks tion about Native American perceptions of Thanksgiv The final speech of the novel is shared at the ing. In this normal group setting, developed through tribal council. Chris shares it physically with his the natural flow of the plot, Bruchac has provided an grandfather, who introduces him to the council. In opportunity for his main character to calmly explain a addition, by handing him the letter, Dado publicly Native American perception of the event. He has acknowledges Chris authority and right to speak to the seamlessly included ideology in the novel using the tribe. His grandfather has led the tribe in the past and literary techniques of plot and character development. is connected to the traditions. This trait is lacking in This group of children work together gathering the current chief as symbolized by his inability to information, learning more about each other and speak his own native tongue fluently. become friends. It is in the comfort of this group that Occasionally, in older times, the hunter of the Chris realizes that he can speak the things he really tribe would face hardships—and not return. Chris’s feels, “I pause for breath. I’ve gotten into what can father is one such hunter, who is lost in a modern day only be called a rant, but everyone at our table has challenge and is not there to lead the people. Chris been listening to me” (110). He gains power from this shares the speech with his father spiritually as he recognition that he is listened to and supported by reads the speech his father has prepared. His father Katie and his white classmates. It has been the writes the letter giving the tribe an alternate piece of proving ground for his voice that will represent the land for the casino, and his grandfather announces the feeling of native peoples to a wider, more public intention of the letter in the native tongue. Yet, it is audience. Chris who reads the letter publicly. The gift of the land By the following day, a significant number of on the perimeter of the reservation protects the heart adults representing the various communities are in the of the land. It preserves “a place to come back to” classroom. It is no longer a simple class report. It is an (80). He stands as the surrogate as his family offers up opportunity for the group to display their ideas with their land for the benefit of the tribe. His family Chris as their concluding presenter. They make their maintains their position as tribal providers and points by including skits, jokes, and a serious presen caretakers. He reads his fathers words, “[o]ur family tation of ideas gathered from the research of all the has always defended the heart of our land. We will not members of the group. As is the case with Chris’s stop doing that” (151). The Nicola family, the family speech at the island, we as readers are not given all of givers, extends an offering of their land, on the the words, just the effects of their power. In both fringe of the reservation, for the tribe’s use and as a cases, they are masked, hidden from the reader. Like result preserves the island. his unspoken name we are left to image them. The Remembering the symbolic possibilities of his power is evident, a school board member suggests. “ I names intensifies all three public pronouncements, the would hate to be up against you in a debate. You have impromptu speech on the island, the prepared speech a career in politics” (130). Indeed he does, as we are in the classroom, and this final reading of his father’s reminded in his conversation with the principal. The letter at the tribal council. Chris is most powerful as

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the bridge between various groups. He speaks about negotiation. This paper has argued that the highest the divide in the tribe over the casino; he brings a praise for a work of adolescent literature is when the racially diverse group of children together in the white literary craft and the ideology are tightly woven into a school; he and his grandfather bridge the gap left by united presentation. Bruchac displayed a clever and his absent father; and Chris begins to speak across evocative use of language to heighten the novel’s communities as represented by his conversations after literary qualities while still advancing his ideology. the class report with the school board member and the The use of names, public discourse, and ultimately the principal. He is a giver of gifts; even if it is only the use of symbolic cycles evidence a finely crafted piece gift of friendship and understanding that he offers. He of fiction. The ideology of the novel is tied closely to also functions symbolically as the patron saint of the use of the languages tropes. It is, however, the travelers. As the communities and the individuals that language that is left unspoken and the narratives left comprise them travel into the future, Chris points the unfinished that reveal the weakness in the novel’s way. His speeches in both languages provide a vision ideological presentation. that must be considered by members of both the white and native people’s communities. In the first and the Ideological Presence last instances, he speaks to the issues that confront his Much of the ideology of The Heart of a Chief is tribe internally. In the second instance, he speaks as a straightforward. The need for leaders, such as Chris, representative of his tribe in the larger world. A to emerge among native peoples is evident. The book narrative that places Chris as a spokesman in both calls for the active participation of the tribe’s newest worlds suggests that this generation. These young people will be successful if tribe will need a sagamon they learn the language and the skills of the white It takes a powerful voice, capable of making pro power structure, while still remaining tied to the nouncements in both traditional values of the tribe and the land. It is a in a language that both arenas. This is an ideologi difficult task as represented by the failure of Chris’s cal vision of the future that father, Mito. In addition, the older generation of his sides understand, to has a character, such as grandfather can no longer carry the burden. If the abolish racist stereotypes; Chris, serving as a bridge author’s goal is to provide an optimistic view for the providing assistance to future participation of young native peoples, that goal yet, a language in and of travelers who are journey is achieved. Most young readers of this book will ing into the future. A enjoy the book and be satisfied with its seemingly itself is not enough. future that speaks to the optimistic ending. Nevertheless, the problematic needs of the people who ideological issues, preserving tribal lands, negotiating remain on the reservation and to those people who jobs, and economic security for the future, are left wander outside its perimeter. unanswered and weaken the ideological force of the novel. Perhaps a more optimistic interpretation of the Discussing the Smooth Ending and the ending is to believe that Bruchac has created a character that can bring resolution to these issues in Ideology the future. When the principal, Dr. Moody, points out that there have been eighty years of Chiefs at Rangerville The Smooth Ending schools “and not one Penacook voice has been raised While the ending of the novel initially appears to in complaint until now” (131). Chris answers, “Mayb e be tidy and might appeal to adolescents and others they didn’t think anyone would listen” (132). It takes who long for a nice conclusion, it leaves several a powerful voice, in a language that both sides ideological issues unsettled. Can the youth of the understand, to abolish racist stereotypes; yet, a native peoples in America find a voice among their language in and of itself is not enough. The language own people and outside of the tribe as well? If they and the message must come in a context that all the find the voice, will it be heard? It is difficult to participants understand and treat as a borderland of determine if Bruchac thinks finding a voice to speak

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within the boundary of the tribe is more important tribal council, has significant ideological importance in than speaking in the white world with authority. This the novel’s open and questionable ending. Just as the is one of the problems of the novel that is left unre issues surrounding the debate over the mascot are left solved. While the novel privileges language and its unresolved, so is the issue of the casino and its uses in communication, the novel’s ending fails to influence. What should the tribe do to flourish communicate a satisfying conclusion to match the economically and still protect and nurture their lands issues it has presented. In which world is Chris really and traditions? Perhaps, saving the island from the successful? The novel’s ending never adequately casino is only the first step in dismissing the casino as considers a resolution that addresses the racial conflict an alternative altogether. In reality, the ideological that will certainly exist, as the debate over a change in concerns that run throughout the novel are largely left the mascot continues. Chris certainly has allies, Coach unanswered. Takahashi, his friends, the members of his class group, and perhaps, the star football player. Will their efforts, Conclusion combined with Chris’s actions, be enough to negotiate a change in the eighty-year-old mascot without further The Heart of a Chief is an excellent example of a conflict? The ending simply leaves the complicated book that exhibits fine examples of literary craftsman questions of this situation hopeful, but unresolved. It ship. The examples of the use of language tropes alone is unrealistic to assume that an ideological issue that support this claim. This engaging novel has additional is so political charged would be resolved by one merits that further demonstrate its literary qualities. classroom debate. Examples of the development of minor characters, the Cultural Decay interweaving of several plots, and The novel’s ending never juxtaposition of themes and settings adequately addresses the decay The ending simply leaves could all be discussed to further within the reservation that might demonstrate the novels achieve accompany the construction of a the complicated questions ments. The ideological arguments casino on the perimeter of the tribal of the novel are also clear and land. It will bring jobs, but are the of this situation hopeful, represent the issues of reservation Penacook people guaranteed those but unresolved. It is unre life through the emic view of an jobs? A chief who lacks the ability author who is also Native Ameri to communicate in the traditional alistic to assume that an can. While I enjoyed the novel as a language currently leads them. reader, I continue to trouble the Furthermore, he has already ideological issue that is so novel’s ultimate conclusion. I attempted to make several decisions political charged would be expected the author to demonstrate without the full support of the the resulting difficulties that would tribal council, which the novel resolved by one classroom flow from the issues. Instead, the delineates as a non-native practice. ending is too tight, too Disney. This With their gift of land, the Nicola debate. “See, how we can all get along” family forces the issue of the casino view one would expect from a and its placement on the reservation. A unanimous writer outside the Native American community with vote by the council places the Nicola property as the limited, but perhaps well intentioned perspectives. I first choice for a casino site. After this vote is taken, expected a few more suggestions from a Native the novel abruptly ends. Careful readers realize that American author about how to not only identify these no long-term decision has been made, nor have the issues, but some plot turn that might suggest how to dangers been outlined and discussed. Whether or not react to the potential problems. Can I expect every Chris’s efforts will support a bridge that is wide novel to face the reality of every one of its ideological enough and firm enough to walk upon in the future is, stances? Of course not, the goal as a critic is, as ultimately, left unanswered by the narrative. Chris’s Hollindale suggests, not to advocate for the ideology success or failure, combined with the work of the of any given novel, but to provide the tools for careful

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reading so that all readers can critique those ideolo Encarta®, Microsoft®. Pontiac (Native American Chief). 2003. gies. The Heart of a Chief is a fine example of a novel 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation 2003. Online Encyclope that receives high marks in the categories of masterful dia. © 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Available: http://encarta.msn.com/encyclope craftsmanship and of clear ideological statements. It dia_761569237/Pontiac_(Native_American_chief).html. will engage most readers and still leave room for November 16, 2003. critique and further discussion. Hollindale, Peter. “Ideology and the Children’s Book.” Literature for Children: Contempory Criticism. Ed. Peter Hunt. London; 1 All further references and definitions of names are from New York: Routledge, 1992. 19-40. Lye, John. Ideology: A Brief Guide. October 18, 1997. internet. this website unless otherwise indicated. Available: http:www.brocku.ca/english/jlye/ideology.html. August 28, 2003. Works Cited Woodson, Jacqueline. “Who Can Tell My Story.” Whose Story Is Bruchac, Joseph. The Heart of a Chief: A Novel. 1st ed. New It?: Cultural Authenticity within Children’s Literature. Eds. D York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1998. Fox and K Short. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Campbell, Mike. Behind the Name. September 16, 2003 1996 Teachers of English, 2003. 2002. Webpage. Mike Campbell. Available: http:// Yolen, Jane. “Past Time: The Writing of the Picture Book www.behindthename.com/cgi-bin/ “Encounter.”” New Advocate 5.4 (1992): 235-39. search.cgi?terms=christopher. October 10, 2003. Yolen, Jane, and David Shannon. Encounter. 1st ed. San Diego: Derrida, Jacques. “Structure, Sign and Play in the Discourse of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. the Human Sciences.” Writing and Difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978. xx, 342.

Joseph Bruchac is a professional teller of the in the constitution of the United States. Even traditional tales of the Adirondacks and of the native though it is a misnomer it has been used for over peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands. Much of his 400 years and because of that most native people writing draws on that land and his Abenaki ancestry. in what is now the United States refer to them He is well known for weaving proverbs and tradi selves as Indians. We have the National Museum tional storytelling into the western form of the novel. of the American Indian. The two most popular Steven T. Bickmore spoke with Joseph Bruchac on national Indian newspapers are News From Indian April 29, 2005, at the Georgia Center, University of Country and Indian Country News. That should be Georgia. The following is an excerpt from that a clue. interview. The primary point to remember is to refer to A quote from the interview that might be people by their own specific tribal nation first, highlighted is: “The body of work that you have and then if you are talking about native people in written is like a rough stone from which you carve general the word Indian or American Indian is the final sculpture.” perfectly all right.

Bickmore: What is the preferred terminology for Bickmore: How people choose to be named seems referring to Native Americans? to become an important issue.

Bruchac: The term “American Indian” is used by Bruchac: I always say, “Just ask people how do they most American Indians. American Indian is found call themselves.” That is the most important

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thing. Unfortunately, most of the people who are may tell itself in a form, which becomes a studying or writing about American Indians or children’s book or a story that relates to those native people have no contact at all with living things that need to be taught to very young people native people. They are getting it all out of books, becomes a picture book. The same information usually secondary books. These books are not might also want itself to be told at greater length. what are written by native people, but what is So I have done a picture book called Jim Thorpe’s written about Indians by non participant observ Bright Path. . . . I wanted to go forward on that ers. so, I am now working on a young adult novel called Jim Thorpe at Carlyle. Bickmore: When writing The Heart of a Chief, how much contemplation did you go through before Bickmore: Do you feel that stories have a life of deciding to use a name like Chris for an Indian their own and that they find you? boy? It seems highly ironic. Bruchac: Oh, very definitely. Stories find you. For Bruchac: Ye s, highly ironic, because you have example, Skeleton Man came to me. It demanded Christopher Columbus, of course and also you to be told. have St. Christopher. You have many names after saints. This is a Catholic Indian community so Bickmore: What advice do you have for young, Saints’ names are commonly used. I know native aspiring writers? kids named Chris. It is hard to have a discussion in the context of native culture with other native Bruchac: Don’t talk about it. Do it. If you want to be people without having humor and irony. a writer you have to write. The more you write, the better you will get at it. The more you write, Bickmore: You often mention the importance of the more you will have written. The body of work ancestors and passing things on to the next that you have written is like a rough stone from generation. Was there an important connection which you carve the final sculpture. My first drafts and influence between you and your immediate are never satisfactory. ancestors that started you off as a storyteller? Bickmore: Do you see your books as political tools? Bruchac: My decision to become a storyteller was forced upon me by my children. Before that I was Bruchac: Every person dealing with native traditions mostly publishing poetry. Then I had to sort of tell will say there are at least two purposes to every stories for my kids. Because they needed stories thing you write. One is to entertain. The other is and I told traditional stories. That led me to the to instruct. Perhaps writing can make it clearer first book I published for kids which was a who native people are and what their needs are collection of some of the stories I told my own concerning specific things about particular places children. It is called Turkey Brother, which is a and particular times. Parts of history that are bunch of Iroquois stories. maybe misunderstood. These can all be found in many of things that I have written. But I don’t set Bickmore: You write books for both children and out to write with a political agenda. young adults. When you are writing up a story when do begin to decide who the audience will Bickmore: Thanks, Joseph. be? Bruchac: You are very welcome. Bruchac: Certain things speak their own names to me. A traditional story is a traditional story and it

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Pete Hautman

How to Win a National Book Award: A Primer

n the morning of October 12, 2004, the novel is one of the biggest, craziest, most mathemati telephone rang. I hadn’t been awake for long, cally unsound bets one can make. O but I answered it anyway. Let me break it down for you: Spend the best part “Hello, this is Harold Awblahblah of the National of one to ten years sweating blood in front of a Book Foundation. Am I speaking to Pete Hautman, the computer (or a notebook with lilac-colored, unlined author of Godless?” pages—it doesn’t really matter) until you have “I’m afraid so,” I said, preparing to hang up the produced several tens of thousands of words about phone. Only mild curiosity as to whether the caller events that never occurred. That’s your stake. was going to ask for money, free Now you have to find yourself books, or volunteer hours kept me a bookie, aka “publisher,” that is on the line. National Book Founda “Oh. That’s nice.” National willing to take your bet. Maybe you tion? Sounded like something some get lucky and find yourself among con man in a boiler room had Book Award for Young the roughly one percent1 of novel invented. ists who find a willing publisher. People’s Literature? Right. “I’m calling to let you know Congratulations. that Godless has been selected as a Was there such a thing? So you get a little money finalist for the National Book (probably about 75¢ for every hour Award for Young People’s Litera And I suppose I’ve won a you spent writing your novel) and, ture.” in time,2 your book is published. “Oh. That’s nice.” National free iPod, too. Thousands of copies are distributed Book Award for Young People’s to bookstores all across the country. Literature? Right. Was there such a thing? And I Your friends and relatives all buy copies, and they are suppose I’ve won a free iPod, too. very impressed by your accomplishment—as are you. As the caller babbled on—something about ten So far, so good. You gambled and you won. thousand dollars, and my publisher having agreed to But something is missing. What could it be? fly me to New York, and a black tie ceremony, and a Money? No, you didn’t get into this for the gelt. The bunch of other stuff I can’t remember—I waited for rave review on the cover of the New York Times Book the sales pitch. “Oh, and I’ll need to get your social security 1 I invented that number, but I’ll bet it’s close. number,” he said. That was when I knew it was a 2 For those of you who are about to sell your first novel, scam. know that the 12-18 months it will take for your novel to Any novelist who tells you he or she is not a become a book will be the longest 12-18 months of your gambler by nature is either lying or deluded. Writing a life.

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e24_28TAR_Summer05 24 6/4/05, 10:38 AM Review? A call from Stephen Spielberg? An invitation somehow wound its way to appear on Oprah? (Have you thought about what through the obstacle Harold Augenbraurn, you will wear? Of course you have!) course of literary taste, Your book sells a few thousand copies, and so religious convictions, whose name I have now your publisher (assuming they have managed to stay current politics, and luck, in business) buys another. This time you earn some and had landed on the learned to spell without thing like 97¢ per hour. Much better. But where is the shortlist. looking it up, quickly Big Movie Deal, the Japanese sale, the MacArthur Harold Augenbraurn, Fellowship? Where is the Nobel Prize? The Edgar whose name I have now convinced me that he was, Award? The Newbery, the National Book Critics Circle learned to spell without Award, the Caldecott, the Printz, or—while we’re looking it up, quickly in fact, the Executive dreaming here—how about a freaking National Book convinced me that he Director of the National Award!? was, in fact, the Executive I suppose you could wager one or more of your Director of the National Book Foundation, a real children on a horse named Lotsa Luck. But aside from Book Foundation, a real that, writing a novel and putting it out there hoping organization. The Na organization. The National for the big recognition/money/validation payoff is tional Book Award for Book Award for Young about the biggest and worst bet you can make. Young People’s Literature Novelists are not just gamblers; they are wild-eyed, is real, too. And so far, People’s Literature is real, foaming-at-the-mouth, utterly irrational gamblers. they haven’t asked me for Waiting for the mail, or an email, or a phone call, is any money, nor have they too. And so far, they the writer’s version of taking a daily spin of the used my Social Security haven’t asked me for any roulette wheel. The bad news is that nothing ever number in an identity seems to happen. The good news is that sometimes it theft scam. money, nor have they does. After Harold’s call it Godless is the story of a teen who invents his own took me a good 24 hours used my Social Security religion, and who then must deal with the monster he to absorb the fact that the has created. It’s an old story. I mean a really old story. roulette wheel had paid number in an identity Think Frankenstein. Think Pygmalion. Think Genesis. off. theft scam. Godless is not about God anymore than Frankenstein It doesn’t get any is about the soul, or than Pygmalion is about class. better than this, I thought Godless is about hubris, ambition, responsibility, and as I read through a spate of congratulatory emails. consequences. As is Frankenstein. As is Genesis. Checking my Amazon.com sales ranking, I found it But Godless is funnier. had dropped to 20,000. Remarkable! I had never seen Is that blasphemous? I never know. When I was a a ranking so good. Only 19,999 other titles were kid I had a problem with giggling during mass. It selling better than Godless! Much better than my pre didn’t take much. Something about those big NBA-finalist-ranking of somewhat over 150,000. themes—you know: LIFE, DEATH, TRUTH—makes me The phone rang constantly. Even my non-literary need to laugh. So I’m never sure when I’m being friends (who are, sadly, in the majority) called: blasphemous, but blasphemy aside, I believed that “Pete, this is Bill! Congratulations!” Godless, by whining and pawing at the parapets of “Thank you.” organized religion, had pretty much disqualified itself “This is so great. I mean, I don’t know what the from consideration as a literary award recipient. After hell the American Book Prize is, but I guess it’s some all, as our ruling party keeps reminding us, we are a kind of a big deal. I’m proud of ya, man. You rock.” “Christian nation.” And while we may as a people Okay, I was on top of the world. “I don’t even tolerate dissension, we try not to encourage it. care if I win,” I said to myself and anyone else who The National Book Award nomination was would listen. “Just being a finalist is enough!” therefore surprising on multiple levels. Godless had Over the next three weeks I found myself repeat

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e24_28TAR_Summer05 25 6/4/05, 10:38 AM ing that mantra often. But about one week before I “I could pray,” I say. was to leave for the awards ceremony in New York, Didn’t you just write a book called Godless? something happened. “Good point.” I realized that I wanted, desperately, to win the As D-Day approached I became a zombie, all thing. Even worse, I was terrified that I would not win. distant stares and unresponsive grunts. I was working To paraphrase Garrison Keillor, I used to think hard to keep my imp at bay, with little success. that literary awards were a bunch of hooey. Then I “You have to win, dude. If you don’t win it’ll be was nominated for one. all over for you.” I had never before paid much attention to the big “No, it won’t. I’ll always be a finalist. It’s a great national and international literary awards. I assumed honor to be a finalist.” that they were only for writers who lived in New York “Honor? Don’t make me laugh. What are you or London and who specialized in odd sentence gonna do if you lose?” constructions, obscure words, and secret etymological “I don’t know.” handshakes. The big literary awards, I came to believe, “Exactly! You’ll probably make a scene. You’ll had much to do with politics, snobbery, and taste, and start sobbing or something.” were no guarantee of quality. “No, I won’t. I’ll smile and Needless to say, opinion on this congratulate the winner. It’ll be matter changed rather abruptly with “Is there anything you can fine.” that call from Harold Augenbraum. “It’ll be barbaric, dude.” As I was telling people what an do?” Jim asks, by which I flew to New York with my honor it was to be a finalist, and partner, Mary Logue. The ever- he means, is there any how lucky I felt, and that winning shifting elation/terror ratio made would be “just icing on the cake,” thing I can do to influence me uneasy company, but Mary is a there was this other thing going on writer, too. She seemed to under inside me. Every now and then I the judges. stand what I was going through. Or would catch a glimpse of it. A at least found it tolerable. In either pointy-tailed, grinning imp would “I could pray,” I say. case, it was very nice to have poke his head up and say, “Lucky, Didn’t you just write a someone beside me to whom I schmucky. You deserve it!” could turn and ask, “Am I acting “Down boy,” I would say. book called Godless? okay?” “Up yours, dude. This false We arrived in Manhattan two modesty don’t cut it with me.” “Good point.” days before the ceremony for some “Fine! Just keep it down, would readings and other promotional you?” appearances. I met the other four finalists in the “What do you think are your odds of winning?” Young People’s Literature category: Deb Caletti, Laban asks my brother Jim, an avid poker player. Hill, Shelia P. Moses, and Julie Peters. Alas, they were “There are four other finalists,” I say. “I make it all charming, bright, talented, and deserving. I liked twenty percent.” them all. I performed a mental exercise: I imagined “Do you know what you’re up against?” myself shaking hands with each of them, congratulat “Yes and no.” I had looked at the other books ing them on winning the NBA. named as finalists. They were all quite good, and as It felt something like rehearsing a visit to the different from each other as mine was from theirs. dentist. “How do you mean?” I fear that I am making myself look small. And “I mean, the books are all good, but I don’t know shallow and petty and fearful and neurotic. These are what the judges are thinking.” qualities no one wants to see in a writer. But if you “Is there anything you can do?” Jim asks, by can show me one novelist who does not possess these which he means, is there anything I can do to influ qualities in generous doses, I will . . . well, I will ence the judges. refuse to believe it. Inside every writer—I make no

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

e24_28TAR_Summer05 26 6/4/05, 10:38 AM exceptions—is a three-year-old kid shouting, “Look at office. I challenge you to name three politicians with me!” less in common. The winners of the National Book Awards are not Flash forward: Garrison Keillor is talking. Damn, decided upon until the afternoon of November 17th, but he’s good! You meet him in person (I skipped that the day of the awards ceremony. The five judges in part) and he comes off like a doofus, but shine a light each of the four categories are sequestered in the back on him and give him a real audience, and the man is room of different Manhattan restaurants and asked to pure gold. choose one winner from among the finalists. Legend We listen to Keillor and Harold Augenbraum and has it that the choosing can be a brutal and emotional Judy Blume, the guest of honor. A very courageous affair, like that dramatized in the movie Twelve Angry young girl gets up on stage and reads a passage from Men. I don’t know; I wasn’t there. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret. It is all very The National Book Awards Ceremony and Dinner nice, but I am feeling as though my blood has turned at the Marriott Marquis was a swanky, black-tie, red- to polenta. The air is thick, too. I am caught in a carpet affair attended by several hundred writers, universe of sludge—time has interrupted its usual editors, publishers, agents, and reporters. (I had workmanlike march to illustrate Zeno’s paradox. bought a tuxedo with all the trimmings, which cost Finally the winners are announced, each by the considerably more than the $1000 I would receive chair of the judging panel in each category, beginning from the NBF if Godless did not win.) Rather to my with the nonfiction finalists. The winner is Arc of surprise, I was not at all nervous about finding myself Justice by Kevin Boyle, who gets up and talks forever. in such exalted company. By the evening of the He can’t help himself. I don’t mind, because I’ve ceremony, I was buried so deep inside my own head, written a three-minute bit that I was afraid will be too you could have introduced me to Moses and I would long by half. Boyle has paved the way. When I get up not have blinked. No, this was all about Pete. Poker there . . . players have a saying: the player you need to worry I give myself a mental pinch. There is no when, I about most is the one sitting in your chair. I was doing tell myself. It’s if. plenty of worrying. Mostly, I was rehearsing my loss. Kevin Boyle is still talking. The next category will I was also more than a little worried about winning. be Young People’s Literature. I am both numb and in If Godless was announced as a winner, I would have to pain. I think my heart and liver switched places walk about a mile to the stage, without tripping, and midway through Boyle’s peroration, and someone has deliver a short acceptance speech. This prospect was hammered a steel spike into the top of my skull and only slightly less terrifying than was losing. down through my spine. That’s okay, as long as I After a short press conference, I was seated at a remain conscious. After about seven or eight eternal table with Mary Logue, Jennifer Flannery (my literary minutes, Boyle leaves the stage and Lois Ruby, the agent), David Gale (my editor), and several other chair of the Young People’s Literature category judging illustrious folks from Simon & Schuster. Seated next to panel, is introduced. the redoubtable Alice Mayhew, I was well supplied The way it works is that the panel chair goes on with stimulating conversation, mostly concerning the at some length about what they were looking for, and sorry state of Minnesota politics. The first courses what they found in their search for the best books of were served with astonishing speed and efficiency. the category, and what qualities were exemplified by The food was not at all bad, although you could the as-yet-unnamed winning book. Of course, every probably do better in New York at $ 1,000 a plate. I one in the audience is listening for clues as to which got through the meal without drinking too much or book is about to be named, and Lois Ruby, in keeping insulting anyone or sticking a fork in my eye (you with the amped-up dramatic structure of the Awards never know what these writers from the prairie will Ceremony, packs her talk with vague hints, red do), and I may even have fooled Alice Mayhew into herrings, and generalities. Her words enter and exit thinking that I had some insight into the soul of a my head like ghost bullets. I try to imagine myself state that in the past ten years had elected Jesse congratulating Deb Caletti, Laban Hill, Shelia P. Ventura, Paul Wellstone, and Norm Coleman to public Moses, and Julie Peters. I can’t do it. If Godless doesn’t

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

e24_28TAR_Summer05 27 6/4/05, 10:38 AM win, I know I am going to die. felt, as I climbed without tripping Suddenly I remember an Lois Ruby stops talking. onto the stage at the Marriott episode of “Frasier.” Frasier is Marquis, a divine sense of relief. attending an awards ceremony. He There is a moment of When I tell this part of the has been nominated for Best Talk story—and I have told it many Show Host. He expects to win. His disconnect. times over the past few months—I expectations are so profound that And then everyone at can always tell whether the person when one of his rivals is named the I’m talking to is a gambler. Non- winner, Frasier stands up and our table is standing and gamblers will usually express some walks to the podium and launches surprise. into his thank-you speech. Humilia looking at me, and David “But . . . weren’t you excited? tion? Utter. is shaking my hand, and Weren’t you nervous? Weren’t you Lois Ruby stops talking. scared? Weren’t you exhilarated?” There is a moment of discon then I am walking through They think that the moment of nect. victory should manifest itself as And then everyone at our table the maze of tables toward some sort of emotional overload. is standing and looking at me, and The hardcore gamblers, however, the stage. David is shaking my hand, and understand. When the roulette ball then I am walking through the falls into its proper slot, when the maze of tables toward the stage. long shot draw to a straight flush comes in, when the “How did you feel?” I am later asked. horse Lotsa Luck wins by a nose . . . the gambler I felt as if someone had lifted a great weight from understands that the universe has surmounted the my shoulders. The air was clear and bright, and I curse of chaos, and he finds himself at peace. could breathe for the first time in weeks. Above all I

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

e24_28TAR_Summer05 28 6/4/05, 10:38 AM John Mason

From Tomie dePaola to Paulo Freire: 2004 Ted Hipple Service Award Winner John Mason

n the occasion of his well-deserved awarding and Babar the Elephant. The office next to mine had a of the Ted Hipple Service Award, John Mason closet filled with the original artwork by Ernest O was kind enough to give us a quick autobiog Shepard and Laurent de Brunhoff. We also published raphy and answer a few questions: books by Monty Python which, as you can imagine, was a lot of fun. I was born and raised in England and entered the In the early 1980’s I immigrated permanently to publishing field there. My first job was as an “educa the USA. I worked for over five years as Children’s tional fieldworker” at Penguin Books in the early Books Marketing Manager at Putnam. During that 1970’s. I traveled the country time Putnam hugely expanded its visiting schools and colleges, market share in children’s books. setting up exhibits, and writing We acquired the books of Anno and reports and feedback to our editors I returned to England for Eric Carle—notably The Very and marketing people. After that I three years, and worked Hungry Caterpillar—and we became Schools Marketing Man acquired Grosset & Dunlap (Nancy ager, responsible for marketing as Publicity and Marketing Drew, Hardy Boys, etc.)—and after paperbacks to schools. This was our company was bought by MCI/ when the legendary Kaye Webb Manager at Methuen Universal Studios, we published was running the “Puffin Club,” movie tie-ins, notably The “E.T.” Children’s Books, the which had a huge influence on Storybook which sold a million readership of children’s books. original British publisher copies. Meanwhile, we nurtured the In the mid ’70s I left my job, careers of many fine writers like traveled to India, then moved to of Winnie-the-Pooh, The Tomie dePaola and Jean Fritz, and I the USA where I lived in Ann managed all of our participation in Arbor, Michigan, for two years, and Wind in the Willows, and conventions such as TLA, IRA, worked for an educational maga Babar the Elephant. . . . ALA, and NCTE. zine publisher as an advertising With the knowledge gained at sales manager. We also published books Putnam, I moved to Scholastic in I returned to England for three 1986 and have worked in marketing years and worked as Publicity and by Monty Python which, there since then. Here, also, I Marketing Manager at Methuen as you can imagine, was a witnessed an amazing expansion of Children’s Books, the original the company’s publishing of its own British publisher of Winnie-the- lot of fun. list of trade children’s and YA Pooh, The Wind in the Willows, books. We published bestselling

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

f29_32TAR_Summer05 29 6/4/05, 10:37 AM series such as The Babysitters Club, The Magic School materials for this market, but it turned out to be Bus, and Goosebumps. Meanwhile we steadily built up before its time, the materials were too innovative our literary hardcover publishing, and we are now one for the average teacher. The division also published of the biggest in this field. With its many distribution radical books on education by John Holt, Herbert channels (trade, clubs, fairs, etc) both domestically Kohl, Jonathan Kozol, R.D. Laing, Paulo Freire, and and internationally, Scholastic is the world’s largest others. So it was an exciting time when many new publisher and distributor of English-language experimental ideas were being tried out. children’s/YA books. In the last few years we have Later I worked on two other ideas—one was gained fame as the US publisher of Harry Potter. for selling paperbacks to schools in thematic sets— I now live in Connecticut with my wife who is a something which Scholastic’s school division now psychologist, and commute to Scholastic’s offices in does very well – and the other was the idea of New York City, where my official title is Director of teacher- and student-run bookstores in schools. Library & Educational Marketing, Trade Books Group, Penguin built a prototype bookstore in a large Scholastic. My wife and I have three daughters aged comprehensive school in northeast London and we 26, 23, and 20. I am now an American citizen—but I invited educators and press to its opening, then retained my British citizenship so I am actually a dual published a guide on how to set up and run a citizen. school bookstore, and partnered with a manufac turer to sell shelving fixtures. We started a quarterly TAR: How did you first get into publishing and what newsletter and this eventually led to the establish were some of your earliest experiences working ment of an independent organization called The with authors and books for young adults? Do you School Bookshop Association, and the newsletter have any especially fond memories of those times evolved into the highly respected British educa that you might share? tional review journal, Books for Keeps, which is still going strong. John: My first real job was at a bookstore in London called The Economists’ Bookshop that served the TAR: What are some of the milestone books, authors, London School of Economics. One of the female events or trends that you have seen which have staff there had a boyfriend who used to drop into marked the growth of YA lit as a genre? the store occasionally to visit her. We became friendly, and it turned out he worked at Penguin John: Having worked in children’s/YA books from the Books, and one day he told me there was a job 1970’s ’til today, I’ve seen the same trends and vacancy there. I applied for the job, which was milestones as everyone else—the tremendous basically a truck-driver transporting exhibit booth impact of July Blume—the growth of “realistic” materials. After interviewing me they told me I was fiction, the “problem novel,” authors tackling “overqualified” to be a truck driver and offered me almost every conceivable issue that faces young a job as an “educational fieldworker” and gave me adults. I tip my hat to Virginia Hamilton, Walter a Ford Escort. Dean Myers (whose Fallen Angels is still one of the The early 1970s was a time of exciting most riveting YA books ever written), Jacqueline innovation in education in England, especially in Woodson, Christopher Paul Curtis, and other great primary (elementary) schools—hordes of Ameri writers of color who have opened up the field to cans used to come over to see the British “open diversity. More recently, the enormous popularity of classroom” system where students supposedly Harry Potter has spear-headed a notable growth in engaged in “self-directed learning” in small groups sales of children’s/YA fiction in hardcover, espe rather than sitting in traditional rows of desks being cially fantasy. Right now we are seeing a “let’s instructed. It was also a time when audio-visual lighten up” trend with “chick lit.” People always materials—filmstrips, audiotapes, etc—were being ask, “what is the next trend coming up?”—if we hailed as agents of educational revolution. Penguin knew that, we’d all be millionaires. Right now I had an educational division which published think we are in a golden age of YA lit with more

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

f29_32TAR_Summer05 30 6/4/05, 10:37 AM variety of books being published than ever before. the Willows by Kenneth Grahame was one of my all-time favorites for its mixture of adventure, TAR: How have you managed to find such great humor, and poignancy. In my English “prep” authors and books over the years? Do you have any school, the school library had the traditional specific qualities that you look for? English classics by writers like Buchan, Arthur Conan Doyle, Rider Haggard, Rudyard Kipling, etc. John: I am a marketing director, not an editor, and I In my teen years I discovered the Brontes, Dickens, don’t actually acquire the books that we publish, so etc, and at college I devoured Jane Austen, Thomas I will let others answer this. Hardy, Somerset Maugham, John Steinbeck and many others. Probably the only YA book at that TAR: How do you believe young readers benefit from time was The Catcher in the Rye, which I loved. It reading Walter Dean Myers or Cornelia Funke or wasn’t until I worked in publishing that I started to Kevin Brooks or any of the popular writers of YA get to know YA literature, and since then I’ve read literature? many memorable, mind-blowing YA novels includ ing Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, Fallen Angels by John: Wow, well, you have mentioned three very Walter Dean Myers, From the Notebooks of Melanin different writers there. Think about it—very, very Sun by Jacqueline Woodson, The Chocolate War by different. I like to market and promote the indi Robert Cormier, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine vidual voice of each author. Each writer is a unique L’Engle, Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt, The and different contributor to the imagination. Each Giver by Lois Lowry, Holes by Louis Sachar, The has something new and unique to say, and their Thief Lord and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, Lucas own way of saying it. If you want me to generalize by Kevin Brooks, and so many others. Did my own about how young readers benefit from reading reading influence my life in any way?—what a these authors, I’d talk about how each writer opens question! Reading—or rather, specific books—has up new worlds for young readers—introduces them influenced, and continues to influence, my life all to memorable characters, situations, and ideas that the time. A person whose life is not influenced by they might not otherwise encounter. The rich books is missing out on a whole dimension of variety of books means that there is always more human experience. for young readers to discover and widen their experience of our human condition. Many teens TAR: What is a typical day like for you? today lead very busy lives with after-school activities, sports, social activities, and many forms John: I dread that question because there is no of entertainment including TV, movies and DVDs, “typical” day! Every day is different with the many music, computer games, “IM”-ing, and surfing the varied aspects of my job that I’m responsible for. I web, but nothing engages the imagination with work on lots of different things—mailings of galleys such impact, intimacy, and mind-expanding and review copies, advertising plans, author tours possibilities as books. Books are still special and and appearances, catalogs, conventions and will never be supplanted, but our job as publishers, entertainments, review coverage and publicity, booksellers, parents and teachers is to keep making marketing plans, budgets, our web site, and on and books an attractive option for kids so they will be on. The variety is almost endless. I also manage drawn to reading. those who report to me and sometimes recruit new employees. Scholastic is a very diverse, complex TAR: What did you read as a boy and young man? Did organization, and I do a lot of liaising with other your own reading influence your life in any way? divisions, especially our Library Publishing group, and also the clubs and fairs, and our Internet John: As a young child, I was steeped in English people. We work collaboratively on initiatives such children’s literature by E. Nesbit, A.A. Milne, as a corporate approach to marketing books for Arthur Ransome, J.M. Barrie, etc., and The Wind in “summer reading.” I also work with many organi

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

f29_32TAR_Summer05 31 6/4/05, 10:37 AM zations such as the Children’s Book Council, the TAR: If you could accomplish one or two things in ALA, and folks in IRA and NCTE. And there’s your life in regard to literature for young people, its always something new happening, such as our authors and readers, what would they be? launch into graphic novels. And I get involved in things that I never expected, like searching for a John: That’s a challenging question. Although our way we might collaborate with other publishers school book clubs and bookfairs do a fabulous job (working with our International division and the of getting millions of books into the hands of young Children’s Book Council) to contribute books to readers, I’ve always had this vision of how great it school libraries in India and Sri Lanka that were would be if every school operated its own perma destroyed by the tsunami. nent bookstore, run by the teachers, parents, and students. I would still like to see more diversity in TAR: What are your favorite aspects of your job? the selection of YA books offered in the typical suburban chain bookstore—but that will only John: Although I am good at organization and change as our culture changes. Another thing I paperwork, the thing I really love about my job is would love to accomplish would be to get the the people. I love working with my marketing and media in general to pay more attention to YA books editorial colleagues, with the authors, and with as a serious genre of literature. My father-in-law librarians, educators, booksellers, and reviewers— who grew up during the Depression read and loved all of whom are people who really believe in Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse when he was in his literacy, spreading the word about great children’s/ eighties—he didn’t care that it was a children’s or YA books. I like being the person who takes the “YA” book. Many YA books are great books for book that the author has written and the editor has adult readers and deserve to break out of their YA published, and gets that book out to its audience in ghetto and “cross over” to the adult market. And every way possible by communicating my excite there are still some English teachers who don’t ment about it. I like connecting the right book with think YA is “serious” literature and don’t use it in the right reader, or the right author with the right their teaching. Thank God for ALAN, and keep program. What I also love about my job is the spreading the word. endless variety. Each book is a whole new world to explore. Although books are a “product” like TAR: Are there any thoughts or feelings you would like toothpaste or corn flakes in that we can’t stay in to share about winning this award? business if we don’t sell a certain number of “units” and ship physical books out of our ware John: I am just so honored to be recognized by such house and get paid, what you are really selling is an inspiring community of colleagues as ALAN. ideas.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

f29_32TAR_Summer05 32 6/4/05, 10:37 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

, s ALAN

. REVIEW

gen is

amego, KS

lationships

76362333-4

atie Copeland

Self-discovery

erminal Earth

Manhattan, KS

Marcia Woodyard Marcia

ISBN: 0

Terminal Earth Terminal

ISBN: 0-8109-9201-9

er felt as though he/

orite character. Egg hides her insecurities orite character.

e get, the harder they get. You are going are get. You they e get, the harder

el for any teenager who has e el for any

e-teens.

self; and Phase four: How are you feeling? Stories you might be feeling? Stories you you are self; and Phase four: How

er she has the chance. Obsessed with the film er she has the chance.

teens and preteens alike can find the answers to many questions to many can find the answers alike teens and preteens

, readers are whisked away on a journey of self-realization. Victoria Jur of self-realization. on a journey away whisked are , readers

by Cecil Castelluci by

Dealing with Mom

Laurence Gillot and Veronique Sibiril Gillot and Veronique Laurence

Boy Proof

elationships are always hard. The older w hard. always elationships are

elationships between mothers and teens, it seems to be more targeted to the younger targeted it seems to be more and teens, mothers elationships between

R through so many changes in life as it is (your body, your friends, your relationships) your friends, your body, changes in life as it is (your so many through and now you have to worry about your mom going crazy on you. What is with her on you. mom going crazy about your to worry have you and now anyway? In that they have about their relationship with their mother. The book goes step by step The book goes step by with their mother. about their relationship have that they through four different phases of relationships. Phase one: Mothers: Can’t live with Can’t live Phase one: Mothers: phases of relationships. four different through them, can’t send them back; Phase two: If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother; Phase your not one thing, it’s If it’s them, can’t send them back; Phase two: three: My mother….m three: able to relate to. While Gillot and Sibiril hit on many important issues of dealing with to. While Gillot and Sibiril hit on many able to relate r generation of teens: the pr generation

Dealing with Mom: How to Understand YourDealing with Mom: How to Understand Changing Relationship

by Amulet Books, 2005, 112 pp., $9.95 112 2005, Amulet Books,

Boy Proof Candlewick Press, 2005, 203 pp., $15.99 203 2005, Press, Candlewick

High school can be tough. Between battles with friends, agonizing over what lies beyond agonizing over battles with friends, High school can be tough. Between graduation and crazy parents, any teenager may find himself not knowing where to turn. where find himself not knowing teenager may any parents, and crazy graduation In a 16-year-old girl struggling to find herself amongst the sea of teenagers in a Beverly Hills in a Beverly amongst the sea of teenagers girl struggling to find herself a 16-year-old high school. As a founding member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Club, Jurgen loses Jurgen Club, high school. As a founding member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy herself in films whene herself Jurgen changes her name to “Egg” after her fa Jurgen beneath her shaved head and white cloak—the same cloak worn in head and white cloak—the same cloak worn beneath her shaved Egg is confident in her spot as valedictorian until Max Carter arrives at school. Carter’ until Max Carter arrives Egg is confident in her spot as valedictorian arrival changes everything for Egg—who begins to realize there is more to life than being is more there for Egg—who begins to realize changes everything arrival invisible. This book is the ideal no invisible. she does not fit in.

, but in-

am B. Cole am B.

ennesaw, GA ennesaw,

Gender Issues

to? Can Mike,

Manhattan, KS

Julie Davenport

Playboys

ISBN: 0-439-59109-0

ISBN: 0-439-68327-0

en’t

Drug Addiction/Heroin

. As Candy’s secret life of secret . As Candy’s

dinary things that any teenager dinary things that any

YA Book Reviews Clip & File YA

er and humorous manner. Any young Any manner. er and humorous

y boys his age that dream of the female species his age that dream y boys

by David Larochelle David by

off heroin. Iggy kidnaps Gina, and Joe must decide off heroin.

story set in a vicious underworld of drugs, poverty, and poverty, of drugs, story set in a vicious underworld

al. For 16 and up. awal. For

oin addiction unveils, Joe is pulled into her violent and fearful oin addiction unveils,

by Kevin Brooks Kevin by

ould have to deal with, such as passing his driving test. One thing that has been on ould have

orld. Despite threats from Iggy, Candy’s pimp, Joe takes Candy to his family’s cot- Candy to his family’s pimp, Joe takes Candy’s Iggy, from orld. Despite threats

man struggling with these issues should find relief in this book. man struggling with these issues should find relief

Steven is a normal sixteen-year-old dealing with or is a normal sixteen-year-old Steven w his mind lately is girls, but unlike man but unlike his mind lately is girls,

stead the pages are filled with male underwear models. After twenty-three dates with After twenty-three models. filled with male underwear stead the pages are twenty-one different girls, Steven has finally come to the conclusion that he has kno Steven girls, different twenty-one all along; he’s gay. all along; he’s This novel deals with a serious subject in a cle This novel

he is curious whether or not he is attracted to them at all. He has hidden magazines he is curious whether or not he is attracted under his bed for the past couple of years. These magazines ar under his bed for the past couple of years.

Absolutely, Positively Not . . . Gay Positively Absolutely, Scholastic, 2005, 224 pp., $16.95 2005, Scholastic,

Candy Scholastic, 2005, 364 pp., $16.95 2005, Scholastic,

Joe Beck’s parents are divorced, and he and his older sister, Gina, live with their father Gina, live and he and his older sister, divorced, are parents Joe Beck’s a medical doctor, in an upscale area outside London. Joe, a gifted and lonely musician, outside London. Joe, in an upscale area a medical doctor, meets Candy, buys her coffee and falls hopelessly in lo buys meets Candy,

prostitution and her prostitution w tage, where she goes cold-turk where tage, between Candy and his sister. Which will he choose? Or will he ha Candy and his sister. between Gina’s boyfriend, help them? boyfriend, Gina’s A riveting and suspenseful lo A riveting prostitution. The plot is well-paced; characters are well-defined. An unnerving account well-defined. are characters The plot is well-paced; prostitution. of heroin addiction and withdr of heroin 33

g33-40TAR_Summer05 33 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

fully woven into the text. This one is for the quiet, thoughtful adolescent wishing to e

Deliver Us from Normal Scholastic, 2005, 226 pp., $16.95 Junior high does not begin well for Charles Harrisong. Quiet and thoughtful, Charles is haunted b normal, like the other families in their hometown—Normal, Illinois Holiday House, Inc., 2005, 130 pp., $16.95 Unfortunately, Charles’ outsider status deepens, in part the result of his embarr emotional response to In campaign for class president is disrupted by malicious popular students, Charles’ parents flee Normal, bound for a new life on a rickety boat in the Gulf of Me More allegorical than r of a thoughtful young adolescent and his journey toward acceptance of himself and his family and his rejection of shallow definitions of what it is to be normal. Liter r

Don’t Tell the Girls

Nana. Giff has a close bond with Nana, which sparks her curiosity about her other

story is told through the eyes of Giff and the memories she has of her gr

grandmother, Jennie. Grandmother Jennie passed a opportunity to know her. Giff searches for records of her Grandmother Jennie and hopes to understand her life. Giff researches in libraries and even takes a trip to her grandmother’s native land, Ireland, to find the answers for the past. Giff is able to find the truth about her grandmother’s life, even though it is far fr Don’t Tell the Girls history behind the family. The story would be best suited for middle school readers.

eferences to various mystery novels, To

xplore what it means to be normal.

ALAN Don’t Tell the Girls REVIEW

y his family’s lack of social standing and their oddness. His wish is to be

is a story about a family’s connection between generations and the

by Patricia Reilly Giff

, P

ealistic,

The Yearling

atricia Reilly Giff is on a quest to find her family’s history. The

ate Klise by

Deliver Us from Normal

y before Patricia was born, so Patricia never had the

during the previous term. When his older sister’

Kill a Mockingbir

Clip & File

, offers a glimpse inside the head

, and

Coming of Age/Depression

om what she belie

The Yearling

ISBN: 0-439-52322-2

ISBN: 0-8234-1813-8

Kristine E. Tardiff

Todd Goodson

Manhattan, KS

amily Memoir

xico.

andmother,

are skill-

assingly

ved.

ary

A Book Reviews A Book

47 Little Br Slav after being sent to the fields to work, 47 meets Tall John, whose fa there are neither slaves nor masters in this world. Tall John is a runa is more complicated than that; really Tall John is from another planet, and he has come to lead 47 to saving this planet from the evil Calash. Digesting this story takes time, with its complicated plot and its fast-moving development. What starts as a po tasy read. This book had interplanetary tr that the battle for good and evil took on an even higher meaning in this no story would fit in the hands of fantasy readers, even adult ones, and each reader would come away from the story with a slightly different idea of the book. One caution: As part of the story comes the use of racial slurs, appropriate to the historical aspect of the book, but the importance of sla cussed.

Do You Know the Monkey Man? into an adventure. At age thirteen, Samantha Wright’s once predictable world in Clearwater, Iowa is being forever altered. Her mother is remarrying, the family is moving, and she w a need to rediscover her past. With the help of a ps detective, Samantha seeks the truth to unanswered questions about the m ing of her sister and the father she barely remembers. The result is a fairly predictable, yet still adventurous plot interwoven with themes of identity, intrapersonal relationships, and a redefinition of family. Although parts of the no school special, younger readers will appreciate the protagonist’s struggles with her par friends, divorce, and the blending of families. An appealing aroma of teenage r permeates much of the book such as when, despite her mother’s wishes, Samantha sneaks aw

Do You Know the Monkey Man? by P

eachtr

onders if she will fit into her new family. A fear of what the future holds awakens her to

Dori Hillestad Butler

e number 47 kno

to Minnesota to seek the answers to her questions about the past.

Walter

ee, 2005, 193 pp., $14.95

own & Company, 2005, 240 pp., $16.99

Mosley

no mother or father, only Mama Flore and her kindness. Shortly

erful slave narrative becomes an even more powerful fan-

successfully transforms ordinary dilemmas of teenage life

rights, including the use of such language, is dis-

Identity/Family/Intrapersonal Relationships

el and slave rights on the same pages, such

el and some characters resemble an after-

chic, her friend Angela, and an Internet

Slavery/African Americans/Magic

ISBN: 1-56145-340-4

orite thought is that

ISBN: 0316110353

Curtis Chandler

sterious drown-

Jennifer Judy

but his story

Oxford, OH

amego, KS

el. This

ebellion

ents, 34

g33-40TAR_Summer05 34 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E ALAN

der tasy REVIEW

oted to

Fan

Quinter, KS Quinter,

Manhattan, KS

Todd Goodson Todd

Virginia Beesley Virginia

ISBN: 0439700868

ISBN: 0-439-35379-3

Nonfiction/World War II War Nonfiction/World

wned Wednesday who is wned Wednesday

amination of the manipulation of

follow teens smitten by Nazi ideol- teens smitten by follow

he must confront the powerful pirate Feverfew to Feverfew pirate the powerful he must confront

ould certainly be a valuable addition to units of study de ould certainly be a valuable

provides a readable and compelling e a readable provides

005, 400 pp., $15.95 005,

Hitler Youth

Susan Campbell Bartoletti

ook Reviews

Garth Nix

eaders will enjoy Nix’s complex, imaginative universe (the House and the Bor universe imaginative complex, Nix’s will enjoy eaders

Hitler Youth

ogy, teens who went along reluctantly, teens who became part of the resistance move- teens who became part of the resistance along reluctantly, teens who went ogy, ment in Germany, and Jewish teens victimized by the Nazi regime. Along the way, we Along the way, the Nazi regime. teens victimized by and Jewish ment in Germany, arrive at a deeper understanding of the complex forces targeting young people during young targeting forces of the complex at a deeper understanding arrive this period. The book is oversized and filled with black and white photographs that capture the that capture and filled with black and white photographs The book is oversized conflict of the time—both the conflict between nations and the conflict within indi- conflict of the time—both the conflict between viduals. viduals. the Holocaust and/or World War II, providing a view of the effects of the war on of the effects of the war a view II, providing War the Holocaust and/or World Germany’s adolescents as well as the effect German adolescents had on the war. adolescents as well Germany’s

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow Up in Hitler’s Growing Hitler Youth: by Scholastic, 2005, 176 pp., $19.95 2005, Scholastic,

adolescents in the Third Reich. The stories of 11 young people are traced through the through traced people are young The stories of 11 Reich. adolescents in the Third rise and fall of National Socialism in German

by Scholastic, 2 Scholastic, In this third book of his series, Nix’s unlikely hero Arthur Penhaligon continues his Arthur Penhaligon hero unlikely Nix’s book of his series, In this third adventures in the House. This time he must meet with Dr in the House. adventures suffering from a strange eating disorder—her fierce hunger has forced her to grow to her to grow hunger has forced fierce eating disorder—her a strange suffering from gargantuan dimensions. Unfortunately for Arthur, she eats most of her guests. Arthur she eats most of her guests. Unfortunately for Arthur, dimensions. gargantuan survives the meeting, but disco survives gain the third part of the Will and claim the Third Key from Drowned Wednesday. Drowned from Key part of the Will and claim the Third gain the third R

The Keys of the Kingdom, Book Three: Drowned Wednesday Drowned of the Kingdom, Book Three: The Keys

Seas) and his cast of intriguing characters, including clerks trying to be sailors and including clerks trying to be sailors Seas) and his cast of intriguing characters, talking rats trying to pilot a submarine. Arthur’s common sense, good nature, and good nature, common sense, Arthur’s trying to pilot a submarine. talking rats loyalty make him a suitable protagonist for this charming story him a suitable protagonist make loyalty

A B

series,

author-

Fantasy

Ingrid Seitz

John Ritchie

Manhattan, KS

Everworld

ISBN: 0974648175

ISBN: 0-439-22161-7

and later caught in the

Clip & File Y

Historical Fiction/Dear America Series

el, however, sets up intriguing possibilities el, however,

ed sister, needlessly lose their lives in the Triangle needlessly lose their lives ed sister,

Angela

by Deborah Hopkinson Deborah by

orker

Lynn Sinclair Lynn

offers fascinating characters, especially with the enchanting yet dangerous especially with the enchanting yet fascinating characters, offers

, Lynn Sinclair’s first book of a proposed trilogy, is a fantasy romance told romance is a fantasy trilogy, book of a proposed first Sinclair’s , Lynn

differentiate between dreams and reality. Sadly, this question is quickly abandoned Sadly, and reality. dreams between differentiate

lead character Jodi Greer. Like the characters in K.A. Applegate’ the characters Like Jodi Greer. lead character

touching his sleeping body. Is the world all part of Neil’s dream, or is it a real world or is it a real dream, all part of Neil’s Is the world touching his sleeping body.

aist Company fire of 1911. fire aist Company

ttending school is a joy for Angela Denoto but a luxury that her family can no longer afford. Now for Angela Denoto but a luxury that her family can no longer afford. ttending school is a joy

ey to Aten

K Brown Barn Books, 2005, 192 pp., $8.95 2005, Barn Books, Brown K

Scholastic, 2004, 182 pp., $10.95 2004, Scholastic, A

by Jodi’s friend Neil find himself in a different world after Neil falls asleep. Jodi joins him world friend Neil find himself in a different Jodi’s by with real consequences? Sinclair offers this as a potential question dealing with ho consequences? Sinclair offers with real we as Jodi and Neil find themselves in trouble with giant spider in trouble as Jodi and Neil find themselves middle of tribal conflicts K

industry. It is a wonderful glimpse of the time period and of those adolescent struggles of hope It is a wonderful industry. and fear, joy and sorrow, and dreams of the future that transcend time. that transcend of the future and dreams and sorrow, joy and fear,

Hear My Sorrow, The Diary of Hear My Sorrow, Denoto, a Shirtwaist W

leaving school is tempered, however, by the pride that she feels in being able to help her family by however, school is tempered, leaving pay the rent and put food on the table the rent pay Aladar, who has the power to control plants. Unfortunately, Jodi’s first-person perspec- first-person Jodi’s Unfortunately, plants. to control who has the power Aladar, nearly inhumane. Aching muscles, needle-pierced fingers, and conflicted feelings to fingers, needle-pierced muscles, Aching nearly inhumane. The book characters. interesting often more of the other, limits the development tive has very little humor and instead thrives on melodramatic romance and entirely pre- and entirely romance on melodramatic little humor and instead thrives has very for fair treatment of workers. Things finally come to a climax when Angela helplessly watches as Things finally come to a climax when Angela helplessly watches of workers. for fair treatment The ending of the no dictable plot twists. 146 young women and girls, including her belo and girls, women 146 young of a glance. the second book in the series worthy that make W Through her journal entries, we are led through the turbulent years of 1909-1911 in New York in New of 1909-1911 the turbulent years led through are we her journal entries, Through City’s Lower East Side where young Jewish and Italian immigrant girls worked in the garment girls worked and Italian immigrant Jewish young East Side where Lower City’s

that she is fourteen years old, she must begin work in a shirtwaist factory. Her disappointment in factory. in a shirtwaist old, she must begin work that she is fourteen years

Angela quickly finds that the harsh conditions she and her peers must experience at work are at work must experience conditions she and her peers Angela quickly finds that the harsh ity convince Angela that she must accept this new organization, called a union, and join the fight organization, ity convince Angela that she must accept this new 35

g33-40TAR_Summer05 35 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

Ladies First: Women Athletes Who Made a Difference The Last Univer by Amulet Books, 2005, 214 pp., $16.95 P In pense. This suspense is heightened by the first-person narrator, also the main char of more than a dozen famous female athletes. Among those is Manon Rheaume, the ter. Susan is so unwilling to enter all the dangerous situations in the garden behind her first woman to play professional hockey. As goalie for the Tampa Bay Lighting, she had house that she makes you as the reader want to go there even more. Sleator paints a the toughest position on the team. Rheaume achie convincing picture of what it is like to be a 14-year-old girl in a world of confusing twists and turns. The mysterious maze in the middle of the garden is a metaphor for the labyrinthine mind games Sleator pla ence in this book to interest the intellectually inclined. This is a truly engaging science fiction thriller where all the action takes place in a seemingly innocent garden behind an old house. There are no light sabers or wookies, but this story will take you on a psychological journey as you wonder if the universe really makes any sense at all. I w

William Sleator’s new novel for young adults is a riveting tale of psychological sus-

perseverance, and talent. Tw Shirley Muldowney in auto racing, and more traditional sports, Wilma Rudolph in track and Nadia Comaneci in gymnastics. R true.

eachtree Publishers, 2005, 146 pp., $14.95

eaders will find inspiring stories of women athletes who made their dreams come

ould recommend this book to an

Ken Rappoport

Ladies Fir ALAN elve more chapters include women who broke barriers: Julie Krone in horse racing, REVIEW

st: Women A

by William Sleator

thletes Who Made a Differ

one who is interested in alternate r

with his readers. There is just enough sci-

Life-thr

Clip & File

ence

eatening Illnesses/Generation Gap

ed her dream with hard work,

, Ken Rappoport tells the story

ISBN: 1-56145-338-2

ISBN: 0-8109-5858-9

Women Athletes

ealities.

Kenan Metzger

Manhattan, KS

Shawnee, KS

uth Prescott

ac-

A Book Reviews A Book

hsbo ea sasre fbdiesoisfrthe author’s children and was origi- This book began as a series of bedtime stories for

able to save the day by bringing down the walls. However, her adventures are appar-

The underlying message that sneaking around leads to great deeds may be disturbing for some adults, yet it taps into the co the world.

nally self-published in Seattle, Washington, where, apparently, it did well enough to be

a complex of walled cities unable, along with her compatriots, to experience the world

to be held back from exploration of the forbidden by rules, guards, culture, and cus-

to destroy the kingdom. She is

ently heroine although the adventures are far from as engaging as those in Narnia or Hogw

The Land of Elyon Book I Looking for Alaska Orchard, 2005, 251 pp., $11.95 Dutton Books, 2005, 256 pp., $15.99

picked up by Orchard Books for national distribution. Projected as the first book in a trilogy, the fantasy tale recounts the adventures of 12-year-old Alexa, who lives within

outside. Alexa, in the spirit of fantasy protagonists everywhere, is too curious and bold

tom. Indeed, she finds her w

Green’s book is a thrilling no

Based on the last w attend his last two years of high school at Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama because “I go to seek a Great Perhaps.” He finds this potential both in his new group of friends and in the discussions of his World Religions class, taught by Dr. Hyde.

days after the event. It is a tribute to Green’s capabilities as a writer that the e

the novel, Green challenges the reader’s perceptions of friendship, lo ships, sex, life, suffering, and death. The book is filled with scenes that are both laugh-

A warning to readers: Green’s novel contains a lot of explicit language, some drug use, and explicit sexual situations. However, each of these situations is handled with depth and maturity and is vital to the development of plot and character.

counting down to a life-changing e

open to multiple possibilities that make it unpredictable until it happens. Throughout

out-loud funny and bury-one’s-head-and-cry tr

to be continued . . . .

by John Green

ords of F

by P

oung fantasy readers will enjoy this story of a small female

rancois Rabelais, narrator Miles Halter lea

el that lacks chapter

, of course, with the aid of her animal allies, ultimately

beyond the walls to discover talking animals and a plot

atrick Carman

ent in Miles’s life, and later by headings that count

ert desire of all children to have a hand in saving

agic.

but is divided by headings that ar

elationships/Loyalty/Death

ISBN: 0-439-70093-0

Myrna Dee Marler

ISBN: 0525475060

Manhattan, KS

alty, relation-

es Florida to

John Ritchie

Laie, HI

Fantasy

ent is

arts.

36 e

g33-40TAR_Summer05 36 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

a- vil ALAN REVIEW

antas

Laie, HI Laie,

Skokie, IL Skokie,

Judith Hayn

Myrna Dee Marler

and have arrived in arrived and have

ISBN: 1-59514-007-7

ISBN: 0-8234-1647-X

however, are the lush illustr are however,

er wicked men’s venalities. men’s er wicked

.” It lightly covers King Arthur’s troubles King Arthur’s .” It lightly covers

by J. B. Stephens J. B. by Futuristic/Adventure

entual demise of the great dream. The prose is The prose dream. entual demise of the great

stem devices to the ideal community where survival to the ideal community where stem devices

, Book 2)

er and the hand that guided the hand of King Arthur as he fought

Desolation Angels Book 1) (The Big Empty,

e survived e survived

azorBill, 2004, 268 pp., $6.99 azorBill, 2004,

adise City (The Big Empty

ook Reviews

cellent book for young fantasy readers to cut their teeth on. The prose and paintings to cut their teeth on. The prose readers fantasy cellent book for young

etold by Margaret Hodges, Ill. by Trina Schart Hyman Trina Ill. by Hodges, Margaret etold by

enguin R

elentless enemies, set up the round table, lost and regained his sword, and established his sword, lost and regained table, set up the round elentless enemies,

Six teens hav

Novo Mundum after the Midwest has been abandoned following a viral outbreak called outbreak a viral has been abandoned following Mundum after the Midwest Novo

this version seems aimed more at children than young adults, recounting three tales fea- three recounting adults, than young at children seems aimed more this version

r truth and justice. The three stories are “The Sword in the Stone” (already recounted by recounted in the Stone” (already “The Sword stories are The three truth and justice. Disney), “Excalibur,” and “The Lady of the Lak “Excalibur,” Disney), with Guinevere and Lancelot and the e with Guinevere clear and engaging, telling the stories well. Its best featur clear and engaging, telling the stories well. tions and the simulation of illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages. This is an the Middle Ages. tions and the simulation of illuminated manuscripts from ex suggest a host of unseen magical forces in the world waiting to be unleashed against e waiting in the world suggest a host of unseen magical forces and even hints at the possibility of Arthur’s eventual return. Thus, it becomes a book Thus, return. eventual hints at the possibility of Arthur’s and even themed around hope and the triumph of good o themed around

Strain 7. This attempt to recreate a Garden of Eden exists at an isolated small liber of Eden exists a Garden 7. This attempt to recreate Strain arts college in the Eastern United States where a commune is controlled by two broth- two by a commune is controlled arts college in the Eastern United States where ers, one a former research scientist at the college and the other an ex-Marine. The hero scientist at the college and the other an ex-Marine. one a former research ers, Exactly why the world needs another retelling of Arthurian legend is unclear. However, of Arthurian legend is unclear. needs another retelling the world why Exactly to uninhabited St. the deserted prairie across journeys pals, is Michael, who with two Louis and brings back security s turing Merlin as kingmak so-called paradise, As with any and brilliant seems to be the focus. of the youthful things are never quite as idyllic as they seem. Michael must decide who is friend or quite as idyllic as they never things are enemy to save the surviving “angels” he trusts the surviving “angels” to save enemy

R Holiday House, 2004, 39 pp., $16.95 2004, House, Holiday

Par P

Merlin and the Making of the King

A B

, is

en-

escue

w graphic

Oxford, OH Oxford,

aphic Novel

Jennifer Judy

Manhattan, KS

entur

Todd Goodson Todd

ISBN: 031615556x

Adv e/Thriller

ISBN: 0-439-70623-8

When the Wind Blows

and teachers interested in interested and teachers

citing novel.

and

Clip & File Y

atterson’s adult readers will not be disap- adult readers atterson’s

The Lake House

w. P

as first published in 1991, the first in a series now at in a series now the first published in 1991, as first

a nice introduction to the genr a nice introduction

el to action-adventure fans, especially those thirsting for the thriller especially those thirsting fans, el to action-adventure

ations.

by Jeff Smith by

Out of Boneville

James Patterson

one Bone. The characters are endearing, and the plot is a blend of comedy and adv are The characters one Bone.

apping the popularity of book-length comics, Scholastic has launched its ne apping the popularity of book-length comics,

ans of Boneville will want to examine the color artwork. Those new to graphic novels to graphic Those new the color artwork. to examine will want ans of Boneville

xploring the possibilities of graphic novels will find the Boneville series safe for class- will find the Boneville novels xploring the possibilities of graphic

oom consumption.

Max, the winged teenager from Patterson’s Patterson’s Max, the winged teenager from back in a book of her own. Guess who else is back? The bad guys from the school wher from Guess who else is back? The bad guys back in a book of her own.

get Max and her flock of winged kids. Max’s journey takes her back to the school to r takes journey Max’s get Max and her flock of winged kids.

Max’s first memories come from, and the Erasers, a band of mutant wolf-like assassins, out to assassins, a band of mutant wolf-like and the Erasers, memories come from, first Max’s

her friend. This novel was typical Patterson, with the heart pumping action and close calls, mixed with mixed with the heart pumping action and close calls, typical Patterson, was This novel a new feeling of teenage anxiety. The point of view switches from flock member to flock switches from The point of view feeling of teenage anxiety. a new member, making this not as much Max’s book as her flock’s book. This change is disorient- book as her flock’s making this not as much Max’s member, ing instead of being insightful, but I found the action and captivating characters made Max’s characters ing instead of being insightful, but I found the action and captivating ride inviting. I recommend this no I recommend

pointed, and he will definitely gain a teen audience with this e

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by Little, Brown, 2005, 432 pp., $16.95 2005, Brown, Little,

Out of Boneville

Scholastic, 2005, 138 pp., $18.95 2005, Scholastic,

novel from the mostly female point of vie from novel

nine volumes. The new Scholastic edition maintains the original content but intr The new nine volumes. duces color illustr The book traces the adventures of the Bone cousins—Phoney Bone, Smiley Bone, and Bone, Smiley Bone, of the Bone cousins—Phoney the adventures The book traces F ture. Social satire is just beneath the surface, but the messages are subtle. but the messages are is just beneath the surface, Social satire ture. F will find in Out of Boneville e r

novel imprint, Graphix, by releasing a hard-cover edition of volume one from Jeff Smith’s one from edition of volume a hard-cover releasing by imprint, Graphix, novel Boneville series. series. Boneville T 37

g33-40TAR_Summer05 37 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

F pearance of Woodrow’s mother (Belle Prater). Woodrow has been living with his gr parents and has become close friends with his adventurous cousin, Gyps make a friend in Cassie Caulborne, a new girl in school, who has a “sixth sense”— Cassie can look into the past and Woodrow hopes her talent can aid him in finding his mother. A mysterious phone call on New Year’s sends Woodrow, Gypsy, and Cassie on a quest to Bluefield, a neighboring to three meet Joseph, a thirteen-year-old black boy searching for his father. They become friends, and the four help one another find what they’re searching for. White effectively balances sadness with humor, and comedy with tragedy, creating a charming and memorable portrait of 1950s rural Appalachia, its people, and language. Excellent for Appalachian Studies

A freshman in high school, Jane has two friends, Alicia and Phil. Unfortunately, she doesn’t always get along with Alicia, and Phil has a crush on her. When we first meet Jane, she is in the cafeteria wishing she were sitting with the Bitches, a group of three girls considered the coolest girls in school. Jane is wearing a new dress in hopes the bitches will notice her, which they eventually do. After a series of initiations, Jane is inducted into their gr W lar story line addr price on popularity. Elements of magic infiltrate the book, giving it an impossible r ity. However, despite the unrealistic ideas supporting the main theme that popularity can be obtained through theft, Jane is a belie r and the need to fit in.

The Search for Bell Prater Rhymes with Witches

Amulet Books, 2005, 224 pp., $16.95

esonate with a teenage cr

ans of

arrar Straus Giroux, 2005, 170 pp., $16.00

ALAN ritten in response to “Flowers for Algernon,” author Lauren Myracle designs a simi- REVIEW

Belle Prater’

essing the price paid for turning into someone ne

s Boy

oup.

by Lauren Myracle

will welcome this long a

b uhWieAbandoned Childr by Ruth White

d, as will other topics such as underage drinking, sex,

wn, in search of Belle. On the bus ride ther

able character. Issues of popularity will

Clip & File

aited sequel. A year after the disap-

en/Appalachian Cultur

ISBN: 0-374-30853-5

ISBN: 0810958597

w and putting a

Elle Wolterbeek

ennesaw, GA

am B. Cole

empe, AZ

opularity

The two

and-

eal-

the

A Book Reviews A Book

Scholastic Press, 2005, 240 pp., $16.95 Utilizing an unconventional format, Denenber v while in the attic, too, and in her words, as the author imagines them, Anne is r with additional fictional insight. F Amsterdam, and then to the death camps through vivid, horrific detail. Heartbr oral histories of camp survivors, many who knew the Frank women, complete the history of the family in the moving final section. Pairing this text with Y about the Franks, the end to their ordinary middle class family life, the tense years in the attic, and the final da Holocaust literature, a must read.

Her F

Shadow Life: A Portrait of Anne Frank and The Royal Ballet School Diaries: Ellie’s Chance to Dance

Grossett & Dunlap, 2 Ellie nev

Roy w made new friends at school and in dance class. There was only one person who was a pain in the neck, Rachel. But Rachel finally comes around when she is forced to be Ellie’s partner for a school project and finds that Ellie doesn’t ha

But things got a little easier when she found out she would be auditioning for The

“prima ballerina” after all. This is a good book for middle school adolescents to read. They can really connect with the troubles Ellie has with uprooting from the only home she kno city, and not getting along with e

oung Girl

ollowing meticulous research, the reader moves from Frankfurt, German

oice of Margot Frank, Anne’s older and quieter sister. She apparently kept a diary

ould ever have the chance to dance at the best ballet school in England! Ellie quickly

al Ballet School’s Junior Associate Pr

amily

er thought she would be leaving her friends in Chicago and moving to London.

provides accurate information to satisfy questions adolescents may have

Alexandra Moss

y Barry Denenber

005, 141 pp., $4.99

in Bergen-Belsen. Denenberg creates a riveting addition to

eryone there.

ogram. Who would have thought that she

g creates another viewpoint using the

Friendship/Interper

Nonfiction/Historical Fiction

ISBN: 0-448-43535-7

ISBN: 0-439-41678-7

the perfect life of a

, moving to a new

Marcia Woodyard

sonal R

Judith A. Hayn

The Diary of a

amego, KS

Skokie, IL

elations

eaking

ealed

y, to y, 38

g33-40TAR_Summer05 38 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

ent ALAN REVIEW

Fantasy

of cross

est and the

Lenexa, KS Lenexa,

becomes the

Jaime Hylton

Elaine A. Cobb

Scarborough, ME Scarborough,

ISBN: 0060010169

op-culture/Mystery

ISBN: 1-59514-000-X

efuses to do product place- efuses to do product

en Chinese mythology, fantasy, and fantasy, en Chinese mythology,

, dives from the San Francisco Pier into the San Francisco from , dives

om Lee; now the two are linked in purpose linked are the two om Lee; now

ve T

esterday.”

s Apprentice

The Tiger’

Laur

by ence Yep

, sequel to

enteen-year-old Hunter Braque works as a “cool spotter,” that is, he is paid by that is, spotter,” as a “cool works Hunter Braque enteen-year-old

ook Reviews

azorbill (Penguin Group), 2004, 225 pp., $16.99 2004, Group), azorbill (Penguin

om learns about courage, honor, loyalty, trust, and friendship. These values, blended trust, and friendship. These values, loyalty, honor, om learns about courage,

Tiger’s Blood Tiger’s the mysteries of the uncharted ocean, as Tom Lee and his fantastical cr of the uncharted ocean, as Tom the mysteries

and heart as they protect the egg from the deceptive intrigues of the Dragon Kingdom intrigues of the Dragon the deceptive the egg from protect and heart as they and the villain Vattan. T with Chinese lore and magical escapades, make this novel the perfect recommendation this novel make and magical escapades, with Chinese lore for both beginning and devoted readers of the fantasy genre. of the fantasy readers for both beginning and devoted The award-winning author has seamlessly w The award-winning adventure into this didactic tale of good versus evil. into this didactic tale of good versus adventure

Harper Collins, 2005, 204 pp., $15.99 204 2005, Harper Collins,

species companions rely on magic, wit, and skill to renew their defense of the ancient wit, and skill to renew on magic, species companions rely phoenix egg from power-hungry villains. Tom, a Chinese-American bo Tom, villains. power-hungry phoenix egg from apprentice to Mr. Hu, a shape-shifting lion who is the guardian of the phoenix egg. Mr Hu, a shape-shifting lion who is the guardian to Mr. apprentice Hu sacrifices his own life blood to sa Hu sacrifices his own

Tiger’s Blood Tiger’s

by Scott Westerfeld by So Yesterday

Sev

meets Jen when he asks to take a photograph (using his cell phone, of course) of the of course) (using his cell phone, a photograph meets Jen when he asks to take

corporations to notice and report back what he predicts will be the next big trend. will be the next back what he predicts to notice and report corporations Occasionally he attends “cool tastings,” (known as “focus groups” yesterday). Hunter yesterday). as “focus groups” (known tastings,” Occasionally he attends “cool

innovative way she has tied her shoelaces. He invites Jen to a cool tasting, and the she has tied her shoelaces. way innovative stery begins. Readers will enjoy challenging themselves to identify the most curr challenging themselves will enjoy Readers mystery begins. cool products from Hunter’s descriptions of them (he r Hunter’s from cool products ment—naming brands—in his story). ment—naming brands—in This clever novel is full of visual detail and would make an entertaining movie. Don’t an entertaining movie. make is full of visual detail and would novel This clever delay in offering it to students, however, because it is saturated with the ne because it is saturated however, in offering it to students, delay coolest and will not stay current very long. Westerfeld has built obsolescence right into long. Westerfeld very current coolest and will not stay his novel; soon it, too, will be “so y his novel;

A B

Talk

ould

Lenexa, KS Lenexa,

e of the play,

ennesaw, GA ennesaw,

Elaine A. Cobb

Smiler’s Bones Smiler’s

aith H. Wallace

xual Orientation

ISBN: 0374373825

ISBN: 0-439-98723-7

e/Exploration/Survival

Cultur

ess of New York, readers share in share readers York, ess of New

Realistic Fiction/Se Realistic

Clip & File Y

ering of ties with so-called friends

etakers, contemplated suicide, and pub- contemplated suicide, etakers,

s spirit to return home in s spirit to return

, he has won the lead role in his high school pla the lead role , he has won

elocation.

, historical basis, complex character development, ethical dilem- development, character complex , historical basis,

er been in a play

by Peter Lerangis Peter by

by athe Koja

. But when he thinks about it, he’s been acting his whole life so that no one w . But when he thinks about it, he’s

ept from the icy white arctic to the industrial pr white arctic the icy ept from

ances Foster Books, 2005, 133 pp., $16.00 2005, Books, ances Foster

ants, no needs, Kit causes an eruption within the school about the natur no needs, ants,

ecords indicate Mene was bounced among car indicate Mene was ecords

oja masterfully weaves several stories throughout this stream of consciousness, alter- of consciousness, this stream stories throughout several oja masterfully weaves

eter Lerangis felt the calling to breathe life into history by recreating the emotional recreating life into history by felt the calling to breathe eter Lerangis

xperiences of this young Eskimo. Mene was the sole survivor of six native Eskimos of six native the sole survivor Eskimo. Mene was xperiences of this young

epercussions felt after their r epercussions

Smiler’s Bones Smiler’s

Scholastic, 2005, 160 pp., $16.95 2005, Scholastic,

Much as Mene hears the calling of his father’ Much as Mene hears

P e transplanted to America at the turn-of-the-century by the famed explorer Robert Peary. Robert the famed explorer to America at the turn-of-the-century by transplanted R

licly threatened the Museum of Natural History for his exploitation. However, the per- However, History for his exploitation. the Museum of Natural licly threatened son behind the headlines had yet to be discovered until this novel. to be discovered son behind the headlines had yet Sw Mene’s account of both the Eskimo people’s bold journey south and the tumultuous bold journey account of both the Eskimo people’s Mene’s r Eloquent descriptions mas and cultural exploration make this novel an excellent addition to any classroom addition to any an excellent this novel make exploration mas and cultural and a great read. and a great

hate crimes committed against Kit, and the se K nating the voice of the narrator across the books, and providing teases of the script and providing the books, across of the narrator nating the voice throughout. The result is a realistic account of understanding identity and coming to account of understanding is a realistic The result throughout. grips with reality.

Talk know he is gay. Lindsay, the drama queen, plays opposite Kit and questions, for the opposite Kit and questions, queen, plays the drama Lindsay, he is gay. know first time, what she wants in life, particularly in a boyfriend. Her conclusion that she particularly in a boyfriend. in life, what she wants time, first w

Talk Although Kit has ne 39

g33-40TAR_Summer05 39 6/4/05, 10:36 AM T ◆ H ◆ E

have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this book, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The s and usage of the no Should these twelve-year-old boys rescue the struggling Boston Red Sox or should they let fate play out its course? As the boys play their own game of baseball nearly e day they watch in anguish as their belo is just enough future slang and technology to make the reader believe they are in 2024, but not too much to take away the universal appeal of a coming-of-age story. The boys battle super computer an evil maintenance man in a wheelchair

24 Girls in 7 Days

of true love and self-identity. While the situations are amusing, the ending is almost predictable.

The Year They Won Brown Barn Books, 2005, 118 pp., $8.95 The Year They W

Dutton Books, 2005, 265 pp., $15.99 After Jack fails to get a date for the prom, his best friends place a per online school newspaper. Jack has seven days to date twenty-four girls and pick his prom date, and that is the easy part. Jack Grammar, the geek who can name all of Shakespeare’s plays from memory and has the maximum number of AP credits allowed, is suddenly the coolest kid in school. Jack faces two drunken flashers, group dates, a wheelchair bound jock, and illegal r a two tough questions: Who is Fancy Pants and who is Jack Grammar? An interesting twist on the usual prom story, 24 Girls in 7 Days

ockets. He takes kissing lessons, centered around the word “olive,” and faces his o ALAN wkwardness. As Jack races to narrow down the prospects to that perfect girl, he faces REVIEW

24 Girls in 7 Days

by Alex Bradley

is a delightful adventure into the future of baseball. One does not

ald Purciello by

el places the reader squarely in the midst of a preteen dilemma.

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nosy parents, a faceless creature who hides in the se

is most appropriate for high school aged r

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Clip & File

Sports Heroes/Urban Life

Self-disco

xplores the definitions

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Kenan Metzger

Manhattan, KS

very/Romance

eaders.

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A Book Reviews A Book

This book is the fourth in a series and is sure to be a book for readers interested in r

The Unsuspecting Gourmet (Missing Persons Book 4) by Speak, imprint of Penguin Group, 2004, 169 pp., $5.99 This delightful mystery centers on two orphaned girls incognito in Venice, Indiana due to a conniving stepmother W When the mistress of the local diner turns up missing, the sisters help solve the case. The twists and turns of the m insecurities of gr

ecurring characters.

orking part time at a detective agency, the girls are familiar with missing per

Publishers who wish to submit a book for possible review should send a copy of the book to:

To contact Lori Goodson at [email protected]

M. E. R

submit a review for possible publication or to become a r

abb

Lori Goodson 409 Cherry Circle Manhattan, KS 66503

wing up.

stery keep the reader engaged as do romance and the

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eviewer,

Joy Frerichs

e living

sons. 40

g33-40TAR_Summer05 40 6/4/05, 10:36 AM Shannon Hale

“Our World with One Step to the Side”: YALSA Teen’s Top Ten Author Shannon Hale Talks about Her Fiction

TAR: This quotation in the Salt Lake City Deseret News the workshopping experience is helpful because I would probably be of interest to inspiring creative learned to accept feedback on my own work, even writing majors: “Hale found the creative-writing if ultimately it didn’t take me where I want to go program at Montana to be very structured. ‘You get (it’s all for practice at that point!). As well, reading in a room with 15 people and they come at you and giving feedback on early drafts of other with razors. I became really tired of the death- people’s work was crucial for training me to be a oriented, drug-related, hopeless, minimalist, better editor of my own writing. existential terror stories people were writing.’” This What I don’t like (and I don’t think this is a seems to be the fashion in university creative writing program-specific problem) is the mob mentality programs, but it is contrary to the philosophy of that springs from a workshop-style setting. Any secondary English ed methods of teaching composi thing experimental, anything too different, is going tion classes (building a community of writers to get questioned or criticized. I found myself where the environment is trusting and risk-taking is changing what I wrote, trying to find what I encouraged as opposed to looking for a weakness thought would please my professors and col and attempting to draw blood). What do you find is leagues, not trying to find what most pleased me. the best or most useful approach to responding or This is one reason why, I think, publishable seeking response to your work in its early drafts? material is rarely produced in an MFA program. I wrote The Goose Girl after graduating. Shannon: I don’t know that the University of Montana supported any particular philosophy. It was more TAR: How do you see the role of a female protagonist determined by the attitudes of the instructor and or how do you want your female protagonist to be the participants. I think what made U of M different perceived by your readers? than, say, my undergrad workshops, was that every one there was very serious about becoming a writer. Shannon: I’m very lucky to be writing after decades of This was not a fun elective class—this represented writers have fought for their genuine, interesting, and a serious gamble of time, money, and hope, and no varied heroines. I don’t have the burden of writing one took it lightly. I don’t think anyone set out to on offense, trying to prove that girls actually are be harsh, but we were. In a way, I think that’s good interesting enough to be main characters and do because it helped me to develop a tough skin, come in various shapes and kinds. It’s a luxury I’m which any artist needs to have to face the rejections mindful of often. I now get to go forward and tell (I had dozens of rejections before I ever received stories as though it’s always been this way. I get to my first acceptance) and reviews and slow sales . . . think of myself as a realist instead of as an aggres Regardless of the type of environment, I think sive feminist.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 41 6/4/05, 10:35 AM As a storyteller, I was have the one, or indeed this drawn to powerful girls who Although I think it’s fabu would be nearly impossible.) lacked masculine strength and Now the mania is firmly in interesting girls who didn’t lous that “girls with control, and I MUST write. I’ve swing a sword. Although I think always thought that the drive to it’s fabulous that “girls with swords” stories exist (at write was a form of mental swords” stories exist (at last!), I last!), I consciously chose illness, and in many ways it’s consciously chose to tell another helpful. When you have to do side of that—girls don’t have to to tell another side of something, like going to the fall into traditionally male roles bathroom, you’ll find a way. I in order to be powerful or that—girls don’t have to certainly can’t write as much as interesting. I’m not athletic, I’m fall into traditionally male I used to (the period when I not physically strong (and am worked full time and had a baby very aware of it next to my 6’3”, roles in order to be pow was very difficult), but I’m home 300-pound-bench-pressing now with Max. I wrote the first husband), and I want to shout erful or interesting. draft of Princess Academy during out to all my sisters out there maternity leave with him asleep that we’re just as good as the or playing on my lap. I did the marathon runners. I still stumble across the idea rewrites in the evenings and, when I got to quit my that the “cool” girls, the honorable girls, are the job, during nap times. When we have another baby ones that grew up wrestling in the dirt and eating someday, I imagine my output will greatly slow worms and never crying. Why? I don’t want to down, but I don’t think I could ever stop now. propagate that nonsense. TAR: What role do parents and teachers play in TAR: While you were writing Princess Academy you developing a young person’s love of literature? held down a full-time job, taught Sunday school, cared for a husband and looked after a son, and Shannon: Huge! I attend an inner-city church and those are just the things we know about!! Many teach 8- to 11-year-old girls on Sundays, and every people will say, “I am leaving my job to raise a week I ask them if they’ve been reading. The ones family” or “I am leaving my job to write a book” or that do are the ones with parents that read with “when my kids are grown, I will have time to pick them and take them to the library. The girls whose my writing career up again,” but not you. How do parents neglect reading and don’t read books you do it and what is your philosophy around all of themselves, almost never read. My own parents that? always read to us. I think teachers and librarians are so impor Shannon: I know lots of women who want to be tant too in pointing kids to books they’ll enjoy. In writers but can’t or don’t get started until after the my experience, kids who don’t like reading (barring kids are in school. I feel very lucky to have had a developmental issues and learning disabilities) just head start. A big part of it for me was the MFA. haven’t found the kinds of books that capture their Contrary to what I had supposed, the MFA program interest. I remember re-reading the same books did not hook me up with contacts in the publishing over and over because, in part, I didn’t know where world, teach me the secrets of storytelling, or help to go to find something else I liked. I didn’t even me produce the great American novel—but it did realize there might be more books out there for me. help me to fall into the habit of writing every day. What a tremendous gift it would be to give kids That was invaluable. monthly one-on-one time with a librarian or I had started The Goose Girl before I was reading specialist who could talk to them, figure married and sent off the final draft of Enna Burning out their interests, and place them with a hand- a week before the birth of my first child. (I just selected book.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 42 6/4/05, 10:35 AM TAR: What role does fiction reading TAR: What is left out of a fairy tale play in a person’s life, young, old I had started The Goose as told by the Brothers Grimm? or in between? Why were their tales so violent? Girl before I was married How do you decide what to Shannon: I’ve spoken to teacher keep and what to leave out, groups before who are passionate and sent off the final draft especially in regard to the about getting kids to read, and of Enna Burning a week violence? then I ask, “How many of you have read a book for pleasure this before the birth of my first Shannon: The Grimm brothers did past month?” The response is a service in recording those oral appallingly low. Adults start to get child. (I just have the one, tales, but they also permanently so stubbornly practical, we think or indeed this would be froze their version of the tales. we need to be constantly produc- How was “The Goose-Girl” tive, reading non-fiction and self nearly impossible.) Now different when a grandmother help and such, and believe that told it by a fire in Austria? What fiction is frivolous and a waste of the mania is firmly in happened to Little Red Riding time. Didn’t we do away with this control, and I MUST write. Hood according to some notion already? No room in the hausfrau 300 years ago? There’s Republic for poets? Yikes! I wish I no way we can know what was knew irrefutable scientific evidence to prove it, but lost—which is why I love that so many writers I just believe that our brains need great fiction books. retell the tales. That’s what they’re for! No one’s For me as a kid, reading was escape, adventure, version is the right one. relief, entertainment, confidence building, instruc- Violence is tricky, because it’s “bad.” I as a tional, character forming. . . . While those needs are more intense in children, they certainly don’t go away. Adults need fiction, too!

TAR: Does your use of fairy tales reflect any sort of beliefs in archetypes or stories common to the human experience across time and cultures?

Shannon: Absolutely. I chose to write a novel from “The Goose-Girl” because it had always been my favorite fairy tale, and I thought, if this is a story that survived decades and perhaps centuries in oral form, there must be some universal truth here. Little children will ask for the same book read to them again and again, night after night, because it satisfies something in them, soothes some need in their current development. Fairy tales are the stories we tell ourselves again and again. I love that we as readers have the same need for stories that people did hundreds of years ago. I love that “Cinderella” has reappeared in dozens of forms in dozens of countries over the past 1500 years. It was around my eighth draft of Princess Academy that I suddenly realized, hey, this could be read as a retelling of Cinderella!

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 43 6/4/05, 10:35 AM reader don’t like to read gratuitous violence, but I Shannon: No conscious construction, though I am did feel it was important to pay homage to the familiar with the theory. I think Campbell’s bril elements of the original tale. I decided, for instance, liance is he saw the pattern laced inside the world’s to keep the lady-in-waiting’s horrid fate but let it stories. happen offstage. As well, I didn’t want to see the horse die, though that event is essential in the TAR: (OK, this may sound silly, but) Does Enna princess’s development. Fairy tales are where we Burning have anything in common with the X-men experiment with the bad bits of life in a safe series? People with special powers who must face environment, and where we find out that there is many challenges above and beyond what non- always hope and always the possibility of a happy mutants face, including learning to wield powers ending. To completely Disney-fy them defeats the and learning to cope with being different? wholeness and brilliance of these tales. Shannon: That’s an interesting connection. I hadn’t TAR: Is there a purity or honesty about animals thought of it. I do love superheroes, comics, and I compared to the dishonesty and deceitful nature of do know the X-men series, so perhaps on an people? Why do animals so often play a role in unconscious level it slipped in. The type of “magic” fairy tales in which the protagonists are people? I developed to tell The Goose Girl came about from what I found in the original tale—there was a Shannon: I think animals are highly symbolic. You talking horse, a close connection to geese, and a can say, “fox,” “horse,” “lion,” “vulture,” and mystical power over the wind, and from there I immediately get a sense of character type. They created a magic system that would work for me. I certainly represent different aspects of personality had decided not to create a world where people and characteristics inside every human. I think it’s with superpowers run rampant or magic abounds. I also a study of agency, which is a major component wanted it to feel real and possible, our world with of fairy tales. People make choices while animals one step to the side, and not alienate non-fantasy respond to instinct. readers. So the stories do deal with people who have abilities that are not common. TAR: Ani was headed for an arranged marriage to someone she has never even met and meets with TAR: What went through your mind when you were an obstacle of gigantic proportions. You knew your announced as being in YALSA Teens’ Top Ten for husband for 12 years before marrying him. Any The Goose Girl? thing going on under the surface here? Shannon: Surprise, delight, relief, elation…some mix Shannon: Ha. Yes, I suppose there might be, though of all that, I think. The Goose Girl hadn’t been not consciously. While writing, I tried to do justice included on any ALA lists, so it was especially nice. to the original tale, keep what was essential to it, I love that the teen readers themselves get to and make it interesting and believable. But my own bestow an honor. Some of those authors on the list life experiences must play a role in how I interpret like Rowling and Cabot already have so many what the story is and how to tell it! Certainly I do honors and best seller status and on and on that it believe in life companionship, romantic love, and can’t be a big deal for them anymore, but for little happy endings after long struggles. people like me, these things are huge! My publisher forwarded me the announcement in email, and I TAR: You may have been asked this so many times was thinking, “Dang! Shouldn’t there be a parade you hate to hear it again, BUT, does Ani fit Joseph or something?” I doubt such awards and honors Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, and if so, was this a mean as much to anyone as to the novice novelist. conscious construction or just another evidence of the universality of stories, heroes and the human experience?

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 44 6/4/05, 10:35 AM The Goose Girl Reviewed by Jean Boreen, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona

ans of retold fairy tales will when Selia, supported by the Bayern to listen to her claims. But it F enjoy Shannon Hale’s version captain of the guard, Ungolad, also takes the assistance of the of the Grimms’ story of the princess determines to kill the princess and young soldier Geric, who is, in who must endure life as a goose take over her identity. truth, the heir to Bayern and girl before she can become queen. It is here where Ani’s journey Princess Ani’s intended, to make Goose Girl introduces us to the to adulthood truly begins. Betrayed the king and his circle understand Crown Princess Anidori-Kiladra, by those she trusts, she turns to the the true intentions of Kildenree. otherwise known as Ani, who is animals of the forest into which Fairy tales were created to born with the gift of animal-speak. she escapes. She is also befriended provide children with some type of As a young child, she is aided in by the widow Gilsa and her son moral compass from which to make her learning by her aunt, who when she becomes desperate for decisions. As with most retold fairy shares the same gift as Ani; food and directions to the Bayern tales, The Goose Girl provides however, after Ani’s mother capitol; although Ani has been adolescent readers with much to becomes suspicious of her consistently betrayed by her consider as far as relevant life daughter’s relationship with her mother and other Kildenreans, she themes. In this novel, one of the aunt, she sends her sister away and is determined to continue on to the most obvious is the development of puts Ani under rigorous “princess city to reclaim her rights as one’s identity apart from others’ training.” As Ani grows older, she princess and wife-to-be of the expectations. As Crown Princess, comes to understand and somewhat crown prince. However, getting on Ani has had her life defined by fear her own mother’s gift of to the palace grounds and into the others’ expectations of what a “people-speak” (the ability to direct palace itself is not an easy task, princess is. More importantly, and other people’s actions through her and Ani takes a job as the goose probably more painfully, Ani has words). keeper to obtain access to the been impacted by her mother’s When Ani’s father dies, the grounds. The job is demanding, but disapproval of her ability to animal- sixteen-year-old crown princess through it, Ani learns a great deal speak. Ani also senses that people finds that her mother plans to about friendship, loyalty, and love. see her as clumsy, both physically usurp Ani’s right to the throne in With a new cunning born of and verbally. Her ability to work favor of her younger brother, Caleb. friendship as well as desperation, with the horses she and her father Questioning her mother, Ani finds Ani uncovers the whole of Selia’s love is dismissed as unladylike. It is that the queen has promised her evil plans: to encourage Bayern to not until Ani is forced to fend for daughter in marriage to the eldest go to war against Kildenree so that herself that she begins the neces son of the king of Bayern. Both Ani there will be no one to challenge sary process of self-evaluation. and the queen know that Bayern Selia’s claims to power. Gathering While becoming a goose girl is has turned its eyes to conquering support from the forest people— difficult, it is the manner in which Kildenree. With no recourse, Ani is those who are considered to be Ani handles the job and those with sent to Bayern with her lady-in second-class citizens in Bayern whom she works in the palace waiting, Selia, and a small troop of because they lack the opportunity stables/yard that gives her the Kildenree soldiers; her only true to earn a javelin, one of the confidence to begin asserting friend on the trip is her mount, mightiest symbols of power in the herself in those relationships and in Falada, the horse she has raised war-driven country—and those her relationship with Geric. These since childhood. And Falada is the with whom she has worked in the relationships are also influenced by only one who comes to her aid palace yard, Ani forces the king of Ani’s ability to animal-speak, the

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 45 6/4/05, 10:35 AM talent she can actually develop Another important conflict in Bayern into a war on Kildenree is once she is away from the punitive this novel focuses on issues of key to consolidating her position attitudes of her mother and Selia. loyalty and power. Throughout the and making sure that no one can Ani’s confidence in working with novel, various characters—the question who she is within Bayern. Falada, the geese, and Geric’s Queen, Ani, the King of Bayern, While younger readers may not seemingly irascible horse grows to Selia—argue that they make their be as interested in the political the point that she is able to shift decisions based on the good of intrigues Ani uncovers, they should that self-assurance to her interac their countries. However, only Ani be interested in Ani’s developing tions with humans. This newly actually seems concerned with the appreciation of what true friendship mastered poise enhances the good of the people of her sovereign and loyalty really look like. When leadership skills Ani had never state, quite opposite of the machi Ani is forced to become the goose been allowed to develop under her nations of the Queen, the King of girl, she learns that she cannot take mother’s control. By the end of the Bayern, and Selia. In their various everyone at face value; rather, she novel, Ani is confident enough to cases, the good of the country is must get to know people as demand her rightful place as used as an excuse to bolster individuals. In her interactions with Crown Princess of Kildenree and to personal positions. The Queen of the Bayern forest people—those express her love for Geric. Kildenree retains her power after who are not considered the highest Ani’s growth and eventual self- her husband’s death by moving Ani class—Ani learns that they embody identification is an important out of the picture of favor of her the goodness, loyalty, and friend evolution for younger readers to more malleable younger brother. ship she thought she would never consider. All of us struggle with The King of Bayern rules a country find. In her friend, Enna, Ani finds identity; our contemporary society with very specific ideas about someone to whom she can turn to sends mixed messages to young military prowess and its impact on and confide her feelings about people all of the time, whether the class system within the coun Geric, her fear of losing her name through the advertisements on try; to consolidate his power, he forever, and her concerns about the television or in magazines, the pop- provides various opportunities to war against Kildenree. With Enna’s ups that blanket their computer his upper caste to war on others aid, Ani is able to rally the forest screens, or in the lyrics to the and reap the benefits. Selia, the people to her cause and confront music they sing. Reality shows like daughter of the Queen of the King with the truth about Selia “The Bachelor” and MTV’s “Real Kildenree’s key mistress (a formi and Kildenree. Life” present a way of life that dable personage in her own right), The Goose Girl is an excellent seems very less than real to many has been raised to think herself as story for those readers who enjoy a of us, yet they, too, influence how good as the Crown Princess; Selia fantasy firmly grounded in a young people think about them finds that easy since she is more at character who is easy to relate to selves and others, and often lead to ease with those in power than Ani on a number of levels. Ani’s a kind of ruthlessness in how we seems to be. Indeed, Selia also has experiences and journey toward view people who aren’t “perfect.” the same gift of “people-speak” self-identity provides a wonderful For those reasons alone, it is Ani’a mother has, although she has blend of escapist literature with life imperative that younger readers not honed it to the level of the truths that make this book a have access to texts that encourage Queen. Selia’s usurpation of Ani delightful read. them to consider how other and her portrayal of the Crown people/characters define them Princess to the Bayern people Hale, Shannon. 2003. The Goose selves within social and societal solidifies Selia’s grasp for power; Girl. New York: Bloomsbury. 383 situations. her further willingness to trick pp. ISBN: I-58234-843-X. US $17.95.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 46 6/4/05, 10:35 AM Enna Burning Reviewed by Lori Atkins Goodson

n Enna Burning, Shannon Hale’s by all living things, just as the to use language to persuade and the Isequel to The Goose Girl, Enna, words on the vellum had ex medicine are interfering with her prompted by the illness of her plained. While trying to keep her own judgment. mother, has left the city and abilities a secret, she finds the urge Eventually, Enna breaks free returned to the Forest to live. After to start fires nearly unavoidable. from the enemy and joins efforts the death of her mother, Enna and She finds herself setting flames to with her friend, Isi, who is married her brother, Leifer, carry on their help her friend win a duel, which to the deceased king’s son and rather simple lives. But their Forest eventually leads to her joining the becomes queen of the land upon life shifts drastically when Leifer army’s efforts to defeat the invad the death of her husband’s father. brings home a mysterious piece of ing Tiran. She has her own special ability— vellum he has found buried As news of her fire-starting commanding birds and the wind. beneath the ground. That vellum abilities moves through the land, Both find their powers debilitating, gives him insight into a new Enna becomes a target for the to the point that Enna is herself talent—starting fires from a power Tiran, who seek to use her power burning to death inside. The two within him. for their own advantage—to help journey to another land, where they Enna first senses the danger them defeat the King’s army and hope to find a way to save Enna when, in a fit of anger, Leifer sets Enna’s homeland of Bayern. In a from the same fate as her brother. the edge of her dress ablaze during rage to save her country, Enna Hale provides an elaborate tale an argument. Aware of her races through enemy territory, of adventure and bravery, where brother’s volatile abilities, Enna setting places ablaze to help defeat the heroine seeks a happy-ever then watches as Leifer uses his the Tiran. And her gift of fire- after ending on her own terms, newfound ability to help the King starting becomes more than an knowing that such an ending battle an invading army. With the unusual ability—it becomes a force wasn’t possible for her brother and king killed in battle, Leifer helps of its own that Enna can barely may not be for her, as well. She the King’s army push back the control. The heat builds up within must decide just how—if at all— invaders by setting the enemy and her, and she must find somewhere she is to use this unusual gift of the battlefield afire. Once again, to send that flame. fire-starting. Enna battles herself, Enna has seen the power—and the Eventually, a leader of the just as much as she takes on the destruction—the language of fire Tiran orchestrates Enna’s capture, Tiran, as she struggles with can bring. where Enna is given strong remaining loyal to her country and With her brother’s death on medicine that keeps her fire- friends while also demonstrating the battlefield in his heroic efforts, starting abilities in check. When loyalty to her own beliefs. Enna takes the undamaged vellum two of her dear friends from from her brother’s charred corpse Bayern are captured, she is forced Hale, Shannon. 2004. Enna Burn and begins to discover her own to use her powers for the good of ing. New York: Bloomsbury. 300 fire-starting abilities. Enna notices the Tiran. She gradually recognizes pp. ISBN: 1-58234-889-8. US that she can feel the heat given off that her main captor’s own ability $17.95.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

h41_47TAR_Summer05 47 6/4/05, 10:35 AM Kay Smith The High School Connection

Guest Contributor Joseph O. Milner

Outlier Literature Lives

ver the years, I have “Outlier” was not a word I was Outlier Literature Lives become convinced that the familiar with. For half a century, Joseph O. Milner corollary is true: most the words “in and out” have made O Decades ago when I was English types have an aversion to perfect sense to me, but operating anything mathematical. Of course, I with a near-meaning of the word seeking my doctoral degree at the must admit the operative word is “outlier” was just not good enough. University of North Carolina I “most.” For all I know, some of you A simple Google search was called realized that I was an outlier. I did might have picked up The ALAN for, and to my astonishment, the not have the rich reading reper Review immediately after seeking a search confirmed a growing toires of my fellow English dons solution to an algebraic equation. suspicion: a math term had infil and I had a much stronger social- Exaggerations aside, I’ll acknowl trated, and very effectively infil political awareness than most of edge that anything is possible, but trated, our business of English. them. I was attracted to the vitality choosing to solve a few algorithms The question was obvious. In of Victorian prose and American is as foreign to me as choosing to what way could an outlier, a data texts that were heavily loaded with chew glass. point that is located far outside political and religious subtext. My In our English world, one that standard deviations or far from the advisor accentuated these unac takes pleasure in the merits of rest of the data, possibly refer to ceptable tendencies, having been a young adult literature, we content the literature of adolescents? First journalist and remaining an ardent edly deal with plots, themes, and of all, what was an outlier in baseball fan. devices rather than proofs, permu literature? Secondly, if, in math, an So, I was naturally attracted to tations, and integers. Ours is not a outlier required investigation, American Studies programs at perfect world. We have come to would outlier literature also suggest Minnesota, California Berkley and enjoy and expect multiple truths, an investigation of something Harvard, but an esteemed and wise while in math, there is always a unsuitable or badly out of place? In professor cautioned me about the lovely and definitive answer. Given this very interesting essay, I learned unlikely possibility of most candi my math phobia, it has given me a that our mutual pedagogy begged dates completing Harvard’s arduous measure of comfort to know neither for investigation. I was pleased to program and the lack of good fit of could co-exist, at least until now. learn the answer, and after you read the other two with English depart With my high regard for literature about the importance of enriching ments who might hire me. My and its tolerance for subjectivity, our students’ lives with outlier compromise was to focus on the imagine my surprise at the title of literature, all of us may finally marginal literature of the old an excellent literary article that understand why mathematicians Southwest (the present Southeast) came across my desk. It was spend so much time with their that appeared in Eastern newspa entitled Outlier Literature Lives by calculators and theorems. pers and was the forerunner of Joseph O. Milner.

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

i48_51TAR_Summer05 48 6/4/05, 10:34 AM Twain’s magnificent disingenuous began to discover the rich vein of to self degradation. Roll of Thunder, narrative The Adventures of adolescent and children’s literature Hear My Cry and Night John are Huckleberry Finn. that was similarly non-canonical books from rural settings with very I was interested in how Twain and equally loaded with life issues. different tones that nevertheless used the ironies of Huck’s report to These books had some of the same deliver scalding criticism of the humor and poignancy that flowed social mores of that time and how through the pages of Huckleberry As I became more fully he’d learned how to create this Finn; but more than that, they committed to preparing duplicitous look at his culture from begged for exploration of the social, the newspaper humorists who had economic, and political and teachers and my appoint themselves created unvarnished religious dimensions of contempo spokesmen to deliver their way rary life. Moreover, the Reading ment was shifted to Edu ward opinions of the rough frontier. Cycle (Milner and Milner, 2003) I looked at four of the best known that I developed urged teachers to cation, I began to discover newspaper humorists, (Longstreet, help students enter, explore, and the rich vein of adolescent Baldwin, Harris, and Thompson) to extend these texts, so unearthing unearth the social, economic, such implications became a regular and children’s literature political and religious rhetoric part of my methods class since they embedded in their work. When I were such compelling features of that was similarly non- arrived at Wake Forest to teach many of the captivating adolescent canonical and equally English, I realized that one of my texts. Because they are too often tenure track colleagues was an excluded from the canon, they loaded with life issues. American Studies graduate from become forbidden fruit and all the Minnesota who shared many of my more powerful texts for adolescent These books had some of same broad interests in texts. readers. the same humor and Through the early years of our The social dimension of these teaching, I could see that both of us non-canonical books blatantly poignancy that flowed were not in sync with our col permeates their pages. They explore leagues about how we taught or and expose serious problems in the through the pages of what we taught. To make matters social fabric through the eyes of Huckleberry Finn; but worse, I was becoming ever more engaging adolescent characters. concerned with pedagogy because I These narrators are as out of kilter more than that, they was teaching an English methods with mainline adult understanding course that no one else in the as were my newspaper observers of begged for exploration of English department would have had the old Southwest. These narrators the least bit of interest in. In see the failures of adults and their the social, economic, and addition, I taught a course in world and seek to replace them political and religious contemporary literature, “Cats with ideal worlds and pure relation Cradle to Cuckoo’s Nest,” that ships. John and Lorraine in The dimensions of contempo appealed to students and gave Pigman see the flaws of parents, serious attention in the rhetorical the foolishness of conventions, and rary life. postures in emerging sixties and the need for a stay against the seventies texts that were considered loneliness of the Mr. Pignattis of the make the social injustice and evil of outside the canon much like my world. In A Hero Ain’t Nothing But racism their central story. dissertation’s literature. As I a Sandwich and That Was Then, The economic inequities of our became more fully committed to This Is Now, we see the social dread culture are ever present in the lives preparing teachers and my appoint wrought by drugs and the slim of students but are perhaps for that ment was shifted to Education, I family ties that leave open the door reason less often dramatized and

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i48_51TAR_Summer05 49 6/4/05, 10:34 AM Men. While Billy Jo’s world is capacity to create cognitive disso The economic inequities growing grimmer and her father’s nance concerning religious issues is labors seem less purposeful, we see powerful. of our culture are ever the hand of the caring federal Politics is central to these government reach into their world fictive stories. The science fiction present in the lives of and the image of Roosevelt as the genre and others that would seem students but are perhaps restorer ever more present in their to be even more closely reflective of lives. It is not the intruding or our present social arrangements for that reason less often marauding hand that some reac embody strong and dichotomous tionaries complain about today, but rhetorical stances that are a part of dramatized and some a healing and supporting hand that their non-canonical assessment. what less poignantly sustains the weak and needy. The Giver and The White Moun Religion often provokes tains both create exaggerated portrayed in this litera powerful classroom discussions. portraits of our present culture. Jim Fowler’s Stages of Faith (1981) Lowry’s powerful book shows us a ture. The book that most claims that the introduction of world where intrusion and control forcefully presents the certain faith issues changes the are subtle and not so obviously nature of class so fundamentally noxious while Christopher charts a grinding poverty of daily that mere recitation becomes society where external and internal authentic discussion when these control are complete and life is life is Out of the Dust. issues emerge. When core issues that embrace metaphysical or Billy Jo’s family is literally religious questions arise in the The Enchantress from the smothered by the ubiqui classroom, a new level of serious ness is engendered. The Chocolate Stars shows us controlling tous dust; her community War, The Slave Dancer and other books that touch on such issues as and exploiting social is being snuffed out by its humans’ predisposition for evil states very like our own, grip. captivate students and make these non-canonical novels powerful but Engdahl also shows us attractors. Even less seriously somewhat less poignantly portrayed treated children’s books’ non- a culture built on a wholly in this literature. The book that canonical stance allows them to most forcefully presents the raise serious questions about belief altruistic principle. The grinding poverty of daily life is Out and dogma. When a simple scheme leaders from that hyper- of the Dust. Billy Jo’s family is of belief steps taken from Engaging literally smothered by the ubiqui the Powers is laid out from childlike moral world live out a tous dust; her community is being concreteness to gnostic abstract snuffed out by its grip. The dust ness, young readers can see how Kohlbergian stage six jacket picture does not really point Dog Heaven’s warm fuzzy afterlife existence where explorers to the sad saga of the dust bowl, appeals to one part of our religious but it is appropriate because it understanding, while the more give their lives to save captures the equally economically perplexing The Next Place and the devastated share cropper world that antagonistic Starry Messenger speak lesser developed humans James Agee and Walter Evans of a theological belief system more etched in America’s soul with their closely allied with process theology. rather than control them telling words and somber photo When these non-canonical texts are for their own purposes. graphs in Let Us Now Praise Famous thoughtfully encountered their

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i48_51TAR_Summer05 50 6/4/05, 10:34 AM worn bare. Both are so debilitating pressures run deep through the students. But if we are to create and life denying that the heroic pages of these non- canonical texts, classrooms where true learning is adolescents who people these just as they did 150 years earlier in aroused, we need to turn to these stories see the loss of will and newspaper print. Neither was outliers as well as the sacred texts. personal choice for what it is and acknowledged as true literature, They create words on world, as break away from the culture to an they were clearly outside the James Moffet said, not mere words uncertain but exhilarating freedom. canon. Interestingly, today, the on words. The Enchantress from the Stars schools of my state are squeezing shows us controlling and exploiting out these questionable adolescent Joe Milner is co-author of Bridging social states very like our own, but texts and replacing them with English, has served as Chair of CEE Engdahl also shows us a culture Dante’s Inferno and Pascal’s eternal and is now chair of the Department of built on a wholly altruistic prin wager essay. The message in the Education at Wake Forest University. ciple. The leaders from that hyper- old canon seems more palatable to moral world live out a Kohlbergian rigid adults and frightened mem References Fowler, J. (1981). Stages of Faith. San stage six existence where explorers bers of our Board of Education. Francisco: Harper Row. give their lives to save lesser They see such texts as time tested Milner, J. and Milner, L. (2003). Bridging developed humans rather than through ponderously onerous and English. New York: Merrill. control them for their own pur use the authority of their longevity Wink, W. (1992). Engaging the Powers: poses. to further instill them in the canon Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination. Minneapolis: Fortress Social issues, economic forces, at the expense of books that more Press. religious concerns and political surely speak to the lives of today’s

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i48_51TAR_Summer05 51 6/4/05, 10:34 AM Wendy Glenn

History Flows Beneath the Fiction: Two Roads Chosen in Redemption and A Northern Light

istory is a version of events, a story that sexual favors from her mother, and is befriended by features a cast of characters much like you the baron’s son, Ethan. Upon landing, Lily and Ethan Hand me. In any age, people laugh, hurt, are separated from their shipmates. Together, the two stumble, and endure, emerging sometimes unaffected, young people set out to find Lily’s mother and are sometimes scathed, always representative of a human saved when members of an Indian tribe find them condition that the alteration of time and place can hungry and in enemy territory. Lily is overjoyed to never erase. Julie Chibbaro and Jennifer Donnelly, two find that her father is among the natives but wonders new voices in the world of adolescent fiction, have how he could have taken up with another woman crafted tales that allow readers to serve as witnesses to when he remains married to her mother. Members of events of the past, to see themselves in the people the tribe volunteer to continue the search for Lily’s who lived lives far removed from their own. Through mother, only to find her dead. There is hope, however, the creation of well-developed characters situated in a as Lily undergoes a process of mourning and reflection given time and place, a refusal to water down histori and begins to find her place among the tribe. cal facts, and the skilled use of literary techniques, Chibbaro’s story is based upon the often unwilling both authors provide a glimpse into the past that few, journey to the New World of English colonists aligned if any, history textbooks can provide. with Martin Luther. In her research, Chibbaro came upon the story of a group of nobles who had an idea When Fact and Fiction Meet to colonize a part of America and claim it for England. Redemption After a disastrous first try that resulted in the death of Julie Chibbaro’s novel, Redemption (2004), is set the colonists, they sent another group to give it a try. in early sixteenth-century England and the New When the nobles returned to check the progress of this World. At the novel’s outset, readers are introduced to batch of colonists, they found no trace of them and twelve-year-old Lily and learn that she lost her father returned home to Europe. Around the time when when the baron’s men took him during the night. His Jamestown and the other colonies were being settled, disappearance is surrounded by accusations regarding the new colonists encountered a group of white- his involvement with Frere Lanther, a man excommu skinned Indians. As a result of uncovering this nicated from the Church due to his questioning of the intriguing tidbit, Chibbaro says, “My curiosity about practice of indulgences. Unable to defend rights to these White Indians was set aflame. I began to create their land, Lily and her mother flee England with a story around them, to place myself in their skin and fellow religious protesters and voyage to the New imagine who they were, where they came from, and World. During the trip, Lily goes without adequate how their fate could have occurred” (Author’s Note food and supplies, suffers when the baron demands 258). Chibbaro based her research upon old ledgers,

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 52 6/4/05, 10:33 AM badly kept account books, and found was capsized and floating unreliable, boasting journals of Chibbaro based her re- amongst water lilies in a secluded nobles, as well as myths, art, and bay. Her companion, a young man written memories and oral histories search upon old ledgers, who rented the boat under the created by native peoples (Author’s name of Carl Grahm, was nowhere Note 257-59). badly kept account books, to be found and believed dead by and unreliable, boasting drowning. It was learned that Grace A Northern Light Brown was single and pregnant and Jennifer Donnelly’s A Northern journals of nobles, as well that the man who had taken her Light (2003) is set in the boating was the father of her child. Adirondack Mountains in the year as myths, art, and written Chester Gillette, the real name of 1906. The protagonist, sixteen-year- memories and oral histo her companion, was ultimately old Mattie Gokey, feels trapped. Her tried, convicted, and executed for mother has died, her elder brother ries created by native Grace’s murder. Grace’s letters has fled, her father is emotionally begging Gillette to rescue her distant, and she is now responsible peoples. before it became obvious that she for the domestic work on the farm, was with child served as key pieces including taking care of her younger sisters. These of evidence in the case. Donnelly casts her judgment responsibilities interfere with Mattie’s desire to write. in the claim, “Chester Gillette hoped to improve his Her liberal-minded teacher, Miss Wilcox, encourages social standing by courting a wealthy girl and marry- her to apply to Barnard College. Mattie fears, however, ing her. To do so, he first needed to rid himself of the that even if she is admitted on scholarship, she will factory girl he had once seduced, a girl he once loved not have the money to go and, more importantly, will but later came to regard as an obstacle” (Author’s not have the courage to leave her father and sisters Note 381-82). In her research, Donnelly utilized when she thinks they need her most. Mattie’s di- transcripts of the Gillette murder trial; diaries of lemma is further complicated by Royal Loomis’ Lucilla Arvilla Mills Clark; exhibits from the romantic interest in her. She appreciates his charms Adirondack Museum library and the Farmer’s Musuem but fears losing sight of her goals. When money gets (Cooperstown, NY); photos, oral histories, census and tight, Mattie convinces her father to allow her to tax records, and information on early Inlet businesses spend the summer working at Glenmore, a resort a and the Inlet Common School via the Town of Webb few miles up the road from her rural community in Historical Association; out-of-print Adirondack titles the Adirondacks. While there, Mattie and her cowork- from the Port Leyden Community Library; and visits to ers learn of the death of one of the patrons, a young the Waldheim and Glenmore hotel sites (Acknowledg woman who drowned while in a boat with her male ments 383-84). companion, Carl. Just prior to her death, the woman, Grace, gives Mattie a bundle of letters and begs her to A Young Person’s Perspective dispose of them. Overtaken by curiosity, Mattie reads the letters and learns the truth behind Grace’s relation- In these two novels, Chibbaro and Donnelly have ship with Carl and the murder that ended Grace’s life. created engaging characters through whose lives we This truth drives her to make a difficult decision can see a side of history that research documents regarding her own future. alone cannot convey. Although the adult characters in Donnelly’s novel is based upon the sensationalis- these novels are well-developed and complex, both tic murder of a young woman named Grace Brown authors share a young person’s perspective not often whose body was discovered in the waters of Big included in history books. Upon reading these stories, Moose, a lake on the edge of the Adirondacks (inter- as told through the eyes of teenage protagonists, estingly enough, also the inspiration for Theodore young readers are afforded both distance and connec Dreiser’s An American Tragedy and the film, A Place tion. They can imagine an existence that does not in the Sun). The boat in which Grace Brown had been include, for example, the search for a prom date, the

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 53 6/4/05, 10:33 AM quest for a car of one’s own, or the pressure to one moment, the mother is protective and defensive, succeed on Friday’s math quiz. But they can also telling Lily to remain by her side, that Lily is her sole participate in an exploration of themes inherent in the confidant (82). At other times, she frightens Lily with human condition—love, friendship, the conflict her talk of suicide and disbelief in the Bible and words between both needing and needing to reject one’s of Frere Lanther (76-77). At all times, she is dependent parents—that comprise a part of life for teenagers in upon her child to help her endure. As a child, Lily all times and places. needs her mother’s nurturing care; as a young adult, In writing about the Lily is forced to nurture and care for her mother. process of developing the In the development of the character of Mattie, In these two novels, protagonist in the novel, Donnelly has created a narrator whose love of lan Chibbaro says, “For years I guage and literature and contemplative nature reveal a Chibbaro and Donnelly tried to look beyond the talented young girl who feels she is a victim of social have created engaging basic American history convention. Mattie is bright and witty, surely capable dates we all memorized in of attaining her dream to become a writer. Yet, she characters through whose school, such as 1492 and finds herself wondering if this dream is worth pursu 1776, to dig deeper and ing given the expected norms for women of her day. lives we can see a side of ascertain what really went She wonders if, perhaps, she is foolish for going after history that research into the formation of what so many women before her have deemed less America. . . . I wanted to important than the traditional choice to marry and documents alone cannot feel and understand have children. Mattie describes her admiration for America from its inception, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, and convey. Although the through characters who Charlotte Bronte, who refused to marry and give up adult characters in these might have been there” their writing. Emily Dickinson, she argues, was “a (Author’s Note 257). damned sneaky genius” who “fought by not fighting novels are well-developed Chibbaro’s portrayal of Lily . . . . Maybe she was lonely at times, and cowed by reflects an honesty that her pa, but I bet at midnight, when the lights were out and complex, both au- encourages readers to and her father was asleep, she went sliding down the empathize with her banister and swinging from the chandelier. I bet she thors share a young situation, to work through was just dizzy with freedom” (274). Yet, despite this person’s perspective not her confusions just as she realization, Mattie feels safe and secure when she does as a character. Lily finds herself in Royal’s arms. Mattie wants to be loved often included in history does not have all the and fears the loneliness that will accompany her answers. She is confused freedom, but she longs for the freedom gained in the books. by the words of Frere pursuit of her real love—writing. Ultimately, she must Lanther, wanting to believe learn “that she cannot live her life for others” in the message of faith he advocates, but knowing that (Prolman). this message resulted in the disappearance of her father. Her first words read, “I saw a bird dead once. It Nitty, Gritty History looked perfect, just lying on the ground on its side, its Despite the differing inspirations and origins for little claws curled up, one eye slightly ajar, the inside their novels, both Chibbaro and Donnelly refuse to white. I ran my finger over its fat, puffed wing and make history easy or simplistic as they craft their tried not to disturb it. It seemed the bird might wake fictional stories around events of the past. They do at any time. I picture my father this way” (1). She is more than rely on history to tell a compelling story; jaded, feeling hurt and alone in her struggles to make they reveal historical truths in the presentation of their sense of her loss. It is Lily’s “spiritual battle with her fiction. In both novels, the authors address issues of own guilt and with God that draws readers along” power and equity among participants in a community, (Rochman). Lily wishes to confide in her mother but portray life as lived reality rather than perceived finds her unable to offer the guidance she craves. At fantasy, and choose to compose endings that may be

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 54 6/4/05, 10:33 AM hopeful but remain true to the time and place in hurl insults their way. One which the story is set. such farmer, Royal’s They do more than rely on father, forces the mother, Emmie, to have sex with history to tell a compel- Power and Manipulation him in return for the ling story; they reveal Chibbaro and Donnelly understand the power generosity he shows the differential that exists in the societies they describe family. These class issues historical truths in the and the subsequent victimization of those who do not are compounded by the hold this power. In Redemption, Chibbaro is true to summer arrival of the presentation of their the setting about which she writes. Power resides with wealthy resort-goers those who possess religious ties to the Catholic whose free-flowing cash fiction. In both novels, the Church or large holdings of land. In the middle of the serves to support the authors address issues of night, men in dark capes invade Lily’s home and take working class community her father away as a result of his refusal, on recom for just a few months power and equity among mendation of Frere Lanther, to participate in the before they head off after drunken festivals held by the church and designed to Labor Day, leaving the participants in a commu- pacify the locals. Her father is denied the right to workers to scrimp and nity, portray life as lived express his views freely in a society run by those who save until the next travel wish to suppress free thinking. Although he is a good season arrives. There is a reality rather than per- citizen, a choir leader in the local church, in fact, he is hierarchy of power aligned punished for questioning the beliefs of those in with the possession of ceived fantasy, and control. Several leaders in this community abuse their wealth. choose to compose end- power in their relationships with Lily’s mother, as In terms of gender, well. After the disappearance of the father, the prefect, Donnelly explores the ings that may be hopeful beadle, and others of the baron’s men visit Lily’s choices provided to men mother on several occasions. They not only demand and women in a world in but remain true to the that she give up her land now that her husband no which gender roles are time and place in which longer resides there; they use oppressive tactics to securely intact. Mattie persuade her to give in, at times hitting and sexually feels held to gender the story is set. abusing her to get their way. Once the mother and Lily expectations that she is are aboard the ship headed to the New World, the certain will result in the baron himself takes advantage of Lily’s mother and denial of her dream to become a writer. Mark Twain, rapes her repeatedly, using her as a sexual toy and Charles Dickens, and John Milton did not have to manipulating her faith in Frere Lanther in hopes of make a choice between family and career. Why should financial gain. she? she wonders. Mattie’s teacher, Miss Wilcox, In A Northern Light, Donnelly explores issues in pushes Mattie to pursue her writing. When she reveals the complex world in which Mattie lives. “In an that she is not only “Miss Wilcox, teacher” but “Emily intelligent, colloquial voice that speaks with a writer’s Baxter, author of a controversial book of poems love of language and an observant eye, Mattie details regarding women and freedom,” Mattie is inspired. the physical particulars of people’s loves as well as This inspiration is called into question, however, when deeper issues of race, class, and gender as she strains Mattie learns that Miss Wilcox’s husband has the against family and societal limitations” (Engberg). power to cut her off financially and have her placed in Power in this novel resides in the hands of white men a mental institution. Even Grace Brown, the young with money, at least a few dollars more than their woman whose death inspired the story, is victim, victims. Members of the fatherless Hubbard family, for literally and figuratively, to gender discrimination. As example, serve as representatives of the lowest class. a young girl who finds herself pregnant and unwed in As a result of their status (or lack thereof), even the this time and place, her choices are limited. She does farmers who earn just pennies more feel entitled to all in her power to convince the father to take respon

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 55 6/4/05, 10:33 AM sibility for her actions, realities of the described times and places to temper In terms of gender, knowing, if he doesn’t and our fantasy-based imaginings. Their use of language likely won’t, that she will draws us into settings that are messy and mired in Donnelly explores the be the one to suffer complexity, much like our own. We experience life recrimination and abuse alongside the characters, entering their world and choices provided to men while he continues life as mindset through the crafting of vivid images represen and women in a world in an eligible bachelor. tative of the places in which the characters inhabit. In terms of race, In Redemption, Chibbaro “vivifies the book with which gender roles are Donnelly traces the inspired descriptions” (Booklist). She takes us to the discrimination of blacks port with its masses of people; honking and snorting securely intact. Mattie even in the free lands of the pigeons, pheasants, and rabbits; baskets of herbs and feels held to gender ex- North decades after the wild fruits and vegetables; men shouting and spitting; Civil War. Mattie’s best and Lily clutching her mother’s hand (15-16). Among pectations that she is friend, Weaver, is a young the lowly passengers on board the ship sailing to the black man whose father is New World, we experience the “smell of piss and certain will result in the attacked and killed by dung in the room, of people rotting in their stew” denial of her dream to white men when he refuses (74), providing a stark contrast to the baron’s quarters to move off of the sidewalk decorated with gilt-framed paintings and a red velvet become a writer. Mark when they pass by. Like couch that “feels like rabbit fur, so soft” (91). As the Mattie, Weaver is an boat sets sail, we are privy to the passengers’ fears Twain, Charles Dickens, intelligent, word-loving that their lives will soon end as they sail over the end and John Milton did not student who plans to of the earth into a pit of fire (20-21). Arrival in the attend Columbia and New World offers no reprieve. There, Lily and the have to make a choice become a lawyer. The remaining passengers encounter hunger, fatigue, and faulty perceptions of others, violence committed by rival bands of natives. between family and ca- however, deny Weaver the Chibbaro’s tale is “harsh, violent, gruesome—not for place in society he has anyone wanting to view history through a rosy haze. reer. Why should she? she earned and that he right Yet the book is also vibrant, riveting and beautifully wonders. fully demands even when it written” (Shannon). brings trouble upon him. In A Northern Light, Mattie’s frank voice gives When, for example, a group readers “a taste of how bitter—and how sweet— of racist white men call Weaver a nigger, he refuses to ordinary life in the early 1900s could be” (Lindsay). back down and takes them on, three to one. When She describes the fleas that infest the house, the these men are fined for their inappropriate behavior, cornmeal mush that serves as dinner for weeks on Weaver feels as though all is right with the world. In end, the endless chores necessary in the maintenance his unfair world, however, these men use this punish of the farm, and the power of illness to potentially ment as inspiration to burn down his mother’s house decimate a family. She talks of madness being nothing and steal Weaver’s college fund. The men head for the like that which is portrayed in books. When Emmie border, free and satisfied that their form of justice has Hubbard experiences one of her difficult days, Mattie been served. describes her illness:

The Language of Reality It isn’t Miss Havisham sitting in the ruins of her mansion, all vicious and majestic. And it isn’t like in Jane Eyre, ei In these novels, Chibbaro and Donnelly also ther, with Rochester’s wife banging around in the attic, succeed in teaching readers about history by portray shrieking and carrying on and frightening the help. When ing an existence that is neither glamorized nor glori your mind goes, it’s not castles and cobwebs and silver candelabra. It’s dirty sheets and sour milk and dog shit on fied. Although readers might appreciate the slower the floor. It’s Emmie cowering under her bed, crying and pace and easier lives associated with these perceived singing while her kids try to make soup from seed potatoes. happier days of yore, these authors remind us of the (17)

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 56 6/4/05, 10:33 AM Mattie tells, too, of labor and childbirth under Form and Function and the Author’s gone without the safety of hospital facilities and Craft trained doctors, again railing against authors like Dickens and Bronte who fail to tell the truth and write Both Chibbaro and Donnelly are, plainly put, good instead of “no blood, no sweat, no pain, no fear, no writers whose stories reflect their understandings of heat, no stink” (94). Life here can be good, too, historical fiction. Chibbaro knows her history, but however, as when Mattie witnesses an interaction “historical detail informs her storytelling without between her best friend (who has just given birth) and overwhelming it” (Krawitz). She utilizes flashbacks, her shocked husband. She relates, “Minnie tried to say memories, dreams, and visions in the construction of something but couldn’t. She just lifted one of the her tale, drawing readers backward and forward in babies up for him to take. The emotion on his face, time to learn key details necessary for understanding and then between him and Minnie, was so strong, so the history that flows beneath the fiction. Specific facts about Frere Lanther’s naked, that I had to look away” (97). beliefs and behaviors are Honest (But Not Always Happy) Endings interspersed throughout Thought-provoking and the narrative. His opposi To remain true to history, neither Chibbaro nor tion to indulgences and mind-numbing, beautiful Donnelly composes an ending that is unrealistic or drunken feasts honoring and disturbing, these unlikely given the setting of the novel. Each author the saints, use of a secret respects historical context and creates a conclusion printing press to spread novels conjure up images that is hopeful but not hokey. In Redemption, Lily does his ideas, and dependence indeed find her father alive in the New World. Her upon personal reading of and ideas that are sure to search is successful, but it is not as fruitful as she has Biblical text, for example, hoped in that her father has taken up with another become key in under spark controversy, provid woman, a member of the indigenous Nooh tribe standing the role of Lily’s ing rich evidence to sup- whose members willingly adopt whites into their father as religious pro culture. Lily also manages to find her mother after tester and the underlying port the claim that histori being separated from her upon arrival to the New reasons behind his exile. World. When she locates her, however, she is in a pit Likewise, Donnelly uses cal fiction can serve as of corpses left to decompose after being killed by a an historical event to political statement. group of sea dogs, or pirates. As a result of these spark and shape an findings and losses, Lily is disillusioned. With no intricate story that is large immediate opportunities to return to England, she in scope and powerful in design. The organizational must succumb to her plight and become accustomed structure of the novel is innovative and effective, as to life among the natives, a life that ultimately brings two mutually dependent plot lines work together to her a sense of belonging and well-being. In A Northern create a seamless story. Mattie’s account of the one Light, Mattie does eventually decide to jump the train night she spends by the laid-out body of Grace, to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a reading her words and learning about life and love, is writer. We have great faith that she will make it. She intertwined with first-person flashbacks of Mattie’s life has left much behind, however. Weaver remains on the farm and at the hotel prior to Grace’s death. disillusioned and penniless, his mother without her The two plot lines eventually come together in time, own home and the men who burned it down roaming with the murder mystery serving as “a cautionary tale free. Miss Wilcox remains in hiding, having fled from for Mattie” (Publisher’s Weekly). Through Grace’s her vengeful husband. Mattie’s mother remains dead, story, as contained within her letters, Mattie learns unable to see her daughter off on her grand adventure. that her own story must not become mired in the And Grace Brown remains “stiff and cold in a room in wishes of others. She must give voice to Grace’s lost the Glenmore with a tiny life that will never be, inside life in order to live her own. her” (379).

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 57 6/4/05, 10:34 AM A Discussion of Lenses Works Cited Chibbaro, Julie. Redemption. New York: Atheneum, 2004. Thought-provoking and mind-numbing, beautiful Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. San Diego: Harcourt, 2003. and disturbing, these novels conjure up images and Dreiser, Theodore. An American Tragedy. 1925. ideas that are sure to spark controversy, providing rich Engberg, Gillian. Rev. of A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly. evidence to support the claim that historical fiction Booklist. Krawitz, Susan. Rev. of Redemption, by Julie Chibbaro. can serve as political statement. These authors have Chronogram. www.chronogram.com/2004/07/bookshelf. looked upon events of the past and retold them Lindsay, Jennifer. Rev. of A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly. through a lens shaped not only by the years that have Amazon.com. passed but by their own experiences as women, as A Place in the Sun. Dir. George Stevens. Paramount Pictures, white women, as educated white women, etc. With 1951. Dir. Eric von Sternberg. Paramount Pictures, 1931. Prolman, Lisa. Rev. of A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly. this gift of hindsight, Chibbaro and Donnelly impose a School Library Journal. critical eye on worlds that, then, seemed perhaps more Rev. of A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly. Publisher’s just than they do now. From a 21st-century perspective, Weekly. Lily’s mother and Grace are, without question, Rev. of Redemption, by Julie Chibbaro. The Horn Book. victimized as a result of their gender. Lily is a pawn in Rochman, Hazel. Rev. of Redemption, by Julie Chibbaro. a larger conflict of religion. Weaver is punished as a Booklist. Shannon, Terry Miller. Rev. of Redemption, by Julie Chibbaro. result of the color of his skin. Mattie is denied oppor TeenReads.com. tunity just for being a girl. The choices these authors make in their treatment of history reveal much about their own prejudices. Therein lies the power of historical fiction. These stories are both real and unreal. They are drawn from events of the past and shaped by writers living in present history that will soon pass; interpretations remain forever in flux. Yet, these stories transcend setting in their persistent reminder that the human experience is timeless. That these writers write (and we readers read) these novels attests to the human spirit to question, to explore, to understand the connections that bind us—regardless of the time and place in which we live.

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j52_58TAR_Summer05 58 6/4/05, 10:34 AM Duane Roen & Nicholas Karolides

Louise Rosenblatt: A Life in Literacy

hen Louise Rosenblatt’s Literature as influenced more teachers in their ways of dealing with Exploration appeared in 1938, it drew literature than any other critic” (vii). W attention from many quarters. For instance, In Literature as Exploration, Rosenblatt reminds in the June 29, 1938 issue of The New Republic in the us that the reader plays a vital role in the life of any column “A Reader’s List,” the magazine’s reviewer piece of literature: “There is no such thing as a generic offered this commentary: “A really important book, in reader or a generic literary work; there are only the spite of its insipid title. Writing chiefly for teachers of potential millions of individual readers or the potential high-school and college English, the author has millions of individual literary works. A novel or a managed to show the relevance of social science to the poem or a play remains merely inkspots on paper until esthetic experience, and vice a reader transforms them into a versa, in a way as yet unequaled set of meaningful symbols” (1995, by some of our best Marxists” 24). (231). A half century later in 1978, For those who read Literature Rosenblatt published The Reader, as Exploration today—now in its The Text, The Poem: The Transac fifth edition, published by MLA in tional Theory of the Literary Work. 1995—it is still “a really impor- In this equally important book, tant book.” As one anonymous Rosenblatt clearly demonstrates reviewer at Amazon.Com suc that “no one else, no matter how cinctly puts it, “If you teach much more competent, more literature (at any level) and informed, nearer the ideal haven’t read this book, you (whatever that might be), can probably don’t know what you read (perform) the poem or the are doing.” Wayne Booth in his story for us” (141). Further, Foreword to the fifth edition Rosenblatt notes, “the poem, amplifies this reviewer’s remark: then, must be thought of as an “Has she been influential? Immensely so: how many event in time. It is not an object or an ideal entity. It other critical works first published in the late thirties happens during the coming-together, as have extended themselves, like this one, to five compenetration of a reader and a text” (12). editions, proving themselves relevant to decade after Rosenblatt reminds us that readers transact with decade of critical and pedagogical revolution? . . . She texts for different purposes, which fall along the has in fact been attended to by thousands of teachers efferent-aesthetic continuum. At one end of the and students in each generation. She has probably continuum, for example, is the situation in which

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k59_61TAR_Summer05 59 6/4/05, 10:33 AM parents are reading the label on the At the risk of sounding pompous, I bottle of some poison that their have said that my efforts to expound “A novel or a poem or a my theory have been fueled by the child has just ingested (Poem 23 belief that it serves the purposes of 24). In this situation the parents’ play remains merely education for democracy . . . . If I have purpose is to get information about been involved with development of the the antidote as quickly as possible. inkspots on paper until a ability to read critically across the whole intellectual spectrum, it is be In this case, the parents have reader transforms them adopted an efferent stance, one in cause such abilities are particularly important for citizens in a democracy. which they will carry away infor into a set of meaningful (169) mation from the text. At the other end of the continuum is the symbols” (1995, 24). This comment represents both an aesthetic stance: “in aesthetic underpinning and an outcome in reading, the reader’s attention is the practice of her transactional centered directly on what he is living through during theory of literature. It acknowledges the teacher not as his relationship with that particular text” (25). Here’s an authority representing the meaning and back- an illustrative example from Duane Roen’s life: He ground of the literary work but as a catalyst of once saw a production of Arthur Miller’s play The discussion, encouraging a democracy of voices Crucible at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. Sitting expressing preliminary responses to the text and in front of Duane near the back of the theatre were building group and individual understandings. The four nuns. During the scene in which the alleged teacher’s voice is at once that of the shepherd and of a witches were given the opportunity to confess that partner participant. Student readers are empowered. they were indeed witches in return for leniency, one of The outcome—the genesis of a habit of mind: thought- the nuns shouted out loudly enough so that much of ful, investigative, and evaluative of language and audience could hear her, “No! Don’t confess!” This is ideas. The importance of this concept to her is marked the quintessential aesthetic experience. by the fact that she took the opportunity to focus Given these two extremes at either end of the attention on these goals at both the 1999 NCTE Award continuum, Rosenblatt asserts that much of our for Outstanding Educator in Language Arts ceremony reading falls into the middle of the continuum, the and the 2004 “Birthday Tribute.” reader responding to cognitive as well as emotive More than a century after her birth on August 23, aspects. She argues, however, that some materials— 1904, and just several weeks before her death on e.g., newspapers, political speeches, writings about February 8, 2005, Louise Rosenblatt was still making social problems, advertisements— scholarly contributions to the field require a predominantly efferent when her book Making Meaning stance while others—e.g., novels, “If I have been involved with Texts: Selected Essays was poems, dramas—require the with development of the published. This collection includes aesthetic. “We have to help stu- essays that Rosenblatt wrote from dents learn to handle the affective ability to read critically the 1930s to the 1990s. as well as cognitive aspects of As the anthropologist Margaret meaning during every reading across the whole intellec Mead notes in her autobiographical event.” This applies to the teaching tual spectrum, it is be Blackberry Winter, as a student at of reading across the middle of the Barnard College in the 1920s, continuum that creates the main cause such abilities are Louise was part of a group dubbed teaching problem” (Karolides 166). the “Ash Can Cats,” a name In her interview with Nicholas particularly important for bestowed on them by one of their Karolides in 1999, Rosenblatt professors, Minor W. Latham. In citizens in a democracy” expressed a conviction that had addition to Rosenblatt and Mead, been evident in the classes he had (1999, 169). the group included Leonie Adams taken with her: (the well known poet), Eleanor

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k59_61TAR_Summer05 60 6/4/05, 10:33 AM Pelham Kortheuer, Hannah Kahn, ing Educator in Language Arts Deborah Kaplan, and Viola More than a century after (1999). Corrigan. The two of us, along with Louise Rosenblatt was profes her birth on August 23, several hundred other members of sor of English education at New the profession, saw Louise for the York University from 1948 to 1972. 1904, and just several last time at the “Birthday Tribute to Earlier she taught English at weeks before her death Louise Rosenblatt” at the annual Barnard, the women’s college at NCTE convention in Indianapolis Columbia University, and Brooklyn on February 8, 2005, on November 20, 2004. In that College. After her mandatory session, she spoke eloquently retirement from NYU, she contin- Louise Rosenblatt was about her life’s work—work that ued teaching—at Rutgers Univer still making scholarly will influence teachers and stu sity, Michigan State University, dents for many years to come. University of Pennsylvania, and contributions to the field others. During World War II she Duane Roen, professor of English, is served the United States in the when her book Making Head of Humanities, Arts, and English at the East Campus of Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Meaning with Texts: Service for the FCC in 1943-1944 Arizona State University. He has and as Associate Chief of the Selected Essays was written extensively about composition theory and pedagogy. Western European Section of the Bureau of Overseas Intelligence in published. Nicholas J. Karolides, professor of the Office of War Information English, serves as Associate Dean of (OWI) in 1944. From 1944 to 1945 she served as Chief the College of the College of Arts and Sciences at the of the Central Reports Section of the OWI. Unviversity of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has written Political engagement continued through Louise widely in the areas of censorship and reader-response Rosenblatt’s life. A recent example occurred in 2001 pedagogy. during the deliberations in Congress about the No Child Left Behind bill promoted by the Bush adminis- Works Cited tration. She was in frequent contact with her New Anonymous. Review of Literature as Exploration. Amazon.Com. Jersey representative to the House of Representa 28 February 2005 . to diminish its focus on testing as a way to improve “A Reader’s List.” The New Republic. 29 June 1938: 231. learning. Booth, Wayne. Foreword. Literature as Exploration. 5th edition. Rosenblatt’s many awards included a Guggenheim By Louise M. Rosenblatt. New York: MLA, 1995, vii-ix. fellowship (1942), NCTE’s Distinguished Service Karolides, Nicholas J. “Theory and Practice: An Interview with Louise Rosenblatt.” Language Arts 76 (November 1999): Award (1973), NCTE’s David H. Russell Award for 158-170. Distinguished Research in English Teaching (1980), Mead, Margaret. Blackberry Winter: My Early Years. 1972. New Columbia University’s Leland Jacobs Award for York: William Morrow. New York: Pocket Books, 1975. Literature (1981), NCTE’s Assembly for Literature Rosenblatt, Louise. Literature as Exploration. 1938. New York: D. Award (1984), National Conference on Research in Appleton-Century; New York: MLA 1995. ———. Making Meaning with Texts: Selected Essays. Portsmouth, English Lifetime Research Award (1990), Doctor of NH: Heinemann, 2005. Humane Letters from the University of Arizona (1992), ———. The Reader, The Text, The Poem: The Transactional the International Reading Association’s Reading Hall Theory of the Literary Work. Carbondale: Southern Illinois of Fame Award (1992), the NCTE Award for Outstand- University Press, 1978.

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k59_61TAR_Summer05 61 6/4/05, 10:33 AM Katherine Proukou

Young Adult Literature: Rite of Passage or Rite of Its Own

“I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll go to hell’ and tore it up” —The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain, 1339.

“My name is Jerry Renault and I am not going to sell the chocolates” —The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier, 129.

Rahib-sahib will reach out to me for the rest of his life and never unlock the secrets of my heart” —Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind, Suzann Fisher Staples, 240.

yths swirl about young adult (YA) litera- the immortal plays of primordial history that act like ture, from Huckleberry Finn to Harry Potter: themes of music in the collective consciousness of M It’s literature for teenagers; it’s literature women and men. They are the “dramas of Provi- about teenagers; it’s stylistic and simplified literature; dence” (Burke); we know them, but we are not sure of it’s overly didactic and, of course, shorter than a real how we know them. They reside in the heritage of novel. It is a rite of passage. imagination that is ours as humans and they carry But it is much more. It is about life, its histories meanings for us that arrive in our conscious imagina- and potentialities, transformations and choices; it is tion in holistic thematic apprehensions. They are the about conflicts between the claim of the individual bridge between earned knowledge and contemplative and the claims of culture (Freud); it is about life’s wisdom. These great myths, the mythologems, re- fantastic flux of being. It is about new beginnings and create us because they connect us to the wealth and other directions; of young heroes who wind up beauty of the past and provide the lens through which threads and carry wisdom, of the child-one who sees, we may contemplate the future from the conscious clearly, that the emperor has no clothes. It is not only present. about rites of passage, but is also a rite of its own, an One of the most common and significant arche- archetypal icon-bearer of the monomyths that re- types within these mythologems is the child archetype create us, as an examination of Huckleberry Finn, The (Jung, 70). It is this archetype that young adult Chocolate War and Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind, literature preserves in the “world history of literature three very different novels spread out over time, for women and men of all ages. Young protagonists illustrate. are not young because their intended readership is Monomyths, or what Kerenyi named the great young. They are young protagonists because it is mythologems in his essay, “Prolegomena” (2-3), are necessary. The choice of a young protagonist in a

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l62_72TAR_Summer05 62 6/4/05, 10:32 AM literary work allows the author to stake claim to the May Alcott’s Little Women. archetypal function the motif provides, to awaken Yet, as an icon of the Young protagonists are within the collective unconscious of readers the potentialities of transfor- wonder of the potentialities and prophetic warnings mation and regeneration, it not young because their the conscious mind has slept away, forgotten or failed is in Mark Twain’s 1885 to dream. YA literature is a genre of the possibilities of work, Huckleberry Finn, intended readership is returning to begin again, an empowerment of the hero that American YA literature young. They are young child within and the archetypal message bearer of has one of its most wisdom in the remembering of youth. defining moment. Like protagonists because it is The separation from childhood is a complex trial, many of the great forerun- begun in adolescence and symbolic of all transforma- ners of the genre, Huckle- necessary. The choice of a tions of consciousness, particularly from one state of berry Finn had immediate young protagonist in a understanding to a higher or clearer one: A reason trouble with the censors why adolescence is worthy, according to Joseph and ranks fifth on the literary work allows the Campbell, of the elaborate rites of primordial societies, American Library who celebrated it. These rites forced the child, he Association’s 100 Most author to stake claim to says, “to give up its childhood and become an adult— Frequently Challenged the archetypal function to die, you might say, to its infantile personality and Books of 1990-2000 (ALA). psyche and come back as a responsible adult. This is a Chapter 31 of The the motif provides, to fundamental psychological transformation that Adventures of Huckleberry everyone has to undergo” (124). Because everyone Finn begins the climax of awaken within the collec- can identify with the transformational ‘call’ of adoles- the novel, the capture of tive unconscious of read- cence and its demands, it is a universal link to its Jim, and the beginning of mythological association with the hero’s call, its tests the resolution of the ers the wonder of the and wisdom-based rewards, as well as to psychologi- adventures. It could be cal associations with transformations of knowing. called the thinking chapter; potentialities and pro- Carl Jung in his essay, “The Psychology of the language denoting cogni- Child Archetype” from Essays on a Science of Mythol- tion occurs over 30 times phetic warnings the con- ogy, which he co-authored with C. Kerenyi, states that in the first third of the scious mind has slept “One of the essential features of the child motif is its chapter, before Huck sets futurity. The child is potential future” (83). Further- out for the Phelp’s place. away, forgotten or failed more, within the construct of youth there is also a Huck’s interior struggles symbol-tradition of mediation, “it is a symbol-tradition from this point forward in to dream. which unites opposites; a mediator, a bringer of the novel finally lead him healing, that is one who makes whole” (83). The child to the conviction that all god brings about a cyclic resolution of past, present men are more alike than they are different, and a and future direction, a unification. The powerful belief that knowledge of moral good must be held futurity images evoked by the archetype of the youth interiorly, born of convictions claimed for one’s self. in the collective unconscious, allow us to fully In this chapter, Huck breaks out of the constraints of appreciate YA literature as a rite of its own within dependency on the language of others, the formulas literary tradition celebrating both fresh directions and and social rubrics that have confused and mystified recoveries. him, in order to claim responsibility for his own soul, to claim his own destiny by his own hand. It is at this point that Huck discovers Jim missing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and thinks deeply about the significant experiences he YA literature in the United States has been a rite of has endured in the preceding chapters of the novel. its own for 135 years. As a genre of singular merit, its His reflection leads him to ask himself if his acts of roots extend at least as far back as 1869 and Louisa either omission or commission have led to the situa-

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l62_72TAR_Summer05 63 6/4/05, 10:32 AM tion in which he finds himself. Enlightenment for an America Eventually he arrives, by self Huck is not another Peck’s looking for a new direction after examination and careful reflection, the horror of the civil war and the at a decision about his sin and his Bad Boy (1883). Huck and ancient monomyth, “the child god culpability. Taking full liability for [who] is usually an abandoned the decision to continue to support Tom are closely crafted foundling” (Kerenyi,) 21; both Jim in his quest for freedom, Huck spirit-selves, each reflect- images, one political, one mythical, finally absolves himself, in truth, so powerful that Huck remains although condemning himself by ing the other; for Huck, imbedded in the American con- the standard conventions of the sciousness, despite the outrages of religious and political hierarchies of the self alone and the censorship. his world and destroys the treacher- self-with-Tom; Huck seek- Clemens’ novel was not ous letter he had written to Miss another nostalgic, bad boy tale, Watson informing on Jim. By ing his true self, the self in popular with young people in his supporting the natural right of Jim day, a rite of passage. Huck is not to be free and defying the religious truth, and then seeking a another Peck’s Bad Boy (1883). convention of his day that con- place in a society worthy Huck and Tom are closely crafted doned slavery in the long passage spirit-selves, each reflecting the that ends with “All right, then I’ll of the gift of such a self, other; for Huck, the self alone and go to hell” (1339), Huck frees the self-with-Tom; Huck seeking his himself from the unnatural imposi- worthy of the hero’s gift true self, the self in truth, and then tion of civilization as defined by the seeking a place in a society worthy to something bigger than few that has enslaved him and Jim of the gift of such a self, worthy of for its own purposes and prevented oneself. the hero’s gift to something bigger both of them from defining their than oneself. With the publication own life directions. This freedom of Finn, Clemens gave America the from interference in the statement of life purpose and birth of a fully developed genre, American YA litera- individual path is the ideal of the Enlightenment and ture, vehicle of the hero myth and the salvific child foundational to the American independent spirit. The archetype, icon of renewal, speaking both to history uneducated, un-“sivilized” Huck becomes an icon of and futurity with the power of the “primordial realm the principles of the Enlightenment, the wisdom of of mythology where the most marvelous creations inherent natural laws that do not depend on either the grow and flourish” (Kerenyi, 27). academy or the church for explanations, but are available to each individual and proper to him/her by The Chocolate War natural right. Fascinating parallels exist between the character, The youth who points out with clarity a situation Huck, and standard bearer of the Enlightenment, Jean that separates us from our illusions and constructed Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau’s mother died in child- innocence is emblematic of the archetypal child that birth and his father, “a dissipated and violent man,” leads. This archetype is skillfully employed by Robert showed little regard for him, finally leaving him to Cormier to point out the banality and deceitfulness of fend for himself. Rousseau often ran away from contemporary cultural institutions. In The Chocolate caretakers to escape their discipline. Sometimes War, the protagonist, Jerry Renault, voices a shocking staying with neighbors in exchange for service and in revelation. at least one case charged with theft, Rousseau, like Jerry Renault is compelled to take a singular stand Huck, wandered from place to place (“Rousseau”). against robotic routines of obeisance to institutional Clemens, in modeling Huck on the personal history of priorities and humiliating submissions to self-serving Rousseau and imbuing him with his spirit, conjures up hierarchies at his institutional system, Trinity High. two powerful images, a return to the ideals of the Renault resists with a defiance to die for, inspired by a

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l62_72TAR_Summer05 64 6/4/05, 10:32 AM poster imprinted with the quote from “The Love Song lished in 1974, it has been a visionary treatise on the of J. Alfred Prufrock,” “Do I Dare Disturb the Uni- implacability of institutional evil. Like Huck, the book verse?” has had trouble with censorship and raised issues From the moment that Renault gives himself concerning its appropriateness for youth by the completely over to his own truth that, “My name is keepers of formulas for the protection of idyllic Jerry Renault and I’m not going to sell the choco- innocence and inertia. They are wrong. lates,” (Cormier, 129) he takes the road that wants for In uniting the message of social responsibility and wear, the heroic journey. The narrator relates that the importance of the singular value of the individual “The words and his voice sounded strong and noble” with the image of mythological child god, who returns (129). His destiny is fixed. His act of civil disobedi- from the realms of the dead with a message of life, ence, an investment of self in principle, follows the Cormier has armored a novel of social and cultural classic course and expectations of the mythical heroic importance with the force of the monomyth to paradigm. Until, at the end of his trials, his revelation, challenge our lives in a way meant to disturb our his message, brought back from the near-dead, is universe as he gave us a literary work important for announced. our times, worthy of a rite of its own. From Jerry’s gift of self in civil disobedience come —nothing. The heroic life given to an idea bigger than Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind oneself isn’t “worth it. It changes nothing. Renault’s message is: don’t follow me. Suzanne Fisher Staples’ novel about a young To his friend, Goober, Jerry says, “They tell you to woman facing a (re)arranged marriage, set in the do your own thing, but they don’t mean it. They don’t Cholistan Desert near Pakistan’s border with India, want you to do your thing, not unless it happens to be illustrates another rite of its own/rite of passage, their thing, too. It’s a laugh, Goober, a fake. Don’t through a feminist perspective. Within monotheistic disturb the universe, Goober, no matter what the religions, the feminine principle has been seen as an posters say.” He continues, “It’s other-ness antithetical to the important. Otherwise they murder principle of integrity. Therefore you” (187). And there is no Robert Cormier disturbed other-ness has been defined as resurrection. complementary and the tradition Robert Cormier disturbed our our universe. Destroying has been that the complement is universe. Destroying the safe the safe distance of the less than the complemented, distance of the reader by unplug- though necessary. ging the set of assumptions his reader by unplugging the Dr. Jenny Yates, Jungian imagery had foreshadowed, he Analyst, speaking at the Fifteenth forced his readers to take and set of assumptions his Triannual Congress of the Interna- confront their own idyllic inno- imagery had foreshad- tional Association for Analytical cence and denial of the deceptions Psychology at St. John’s College in inherent in contemporary institu- owed, he forced his read- Cambridge, England, August 2001, tional life. Our institutions, suggested that in the Christian religious institutions not excluded, ers to take and confront tradition, if Christ is the anthropos create and empower characters their own idyllic inno- Self model, then Sophia, Divine like Brother Leon, Obie and Carter Wisdom may be the archetypical and, of course, Archie, silent cence and denial of the feminine Self (236). Of course heroes without heroic messages, neither Self model is exclusively simply examples of exploitation. In deceptions inherent in male or female, but bears qualities giving us the ending of Chocolate that are to be integrated into the contemporary institutional War, Cormier flung the challenge personalities of both genders. out of the novel and prophetically life. Located in a gynocentric presenta- back onto his readership. Pub- tion of the demoralizing and

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l62_72TAR_Summer05 65 6/4/05, 10:32 AM dehumanizing effects of disenfranchising woman, important thing. And as long as you have you, there is Shabanu celebrates the ultimate power of nature to a choice” (225). Although Sharma never attempts to attain fulfillment as well as the ultimate futility of its solve Shabanu’s problems, Sharma’s relationship with restraint. her niece serves only to empower Shabanu. Sharma’s The eponymous, Shabanu, in many ways an independence, her lack of both fear and attachment Athena-figure, must navigate an ambivalent paternal becomes a fulcrum for Shabanu’s emerging self relationship as her father’s possession. favorite daughter, a On the night before Phulan’s newly arranged “But there isn’t any relationship that allows her wedding to Shabanu’s former love, Murad, Sharma unusual freedom and offers advice that is immediately claimed by Shabanu choice! [. . .] Even if I am growth, with he who is as meant for her. Sharma says: both proud father and desperately unhappy, I You can lavish love and praise on him and work hard by his agent of death-dealing side. Yes, and have your sons. That will help. But the secret can never leave him.” To patriarchal power. After is keeping your innermost beauty, the secrets of your soul, many early difficulties, locked in your heart so that he must always reach out to which Sharma replies, “No Shabanu finds herself in an you for it. extraordinary one. She has matter what happens, you Phulan looks confused, but she smiles sweetly and thanks been given in marriage by Sharma for the advice. have you. That is the her father to Rahim-sahib, Sharma’s words lift my heart, and it soars like a partridge a wealthy man, old enough taking flight from the desert floor. I see myself in a new important thing. And as to be her grandfather, with light, with value I’d never attached to myself before. There three wives her senior. This are secrets that will lie deep in my heart, for me alone. I long as you have you, arrangement is the center- repeat Sharma’s exact words, committing them to memory, and know they are the perfect gift of wisdom (217). there is a choice” (225). piece of another bargain to find a husband for Phulan, Shabanu’s thoughts beat rhythmically across her her elder sister, whose mindscape: intended husband was slain in a complicated tribal I keep waiting for the enormity of my flight to frighten me neighborhood dispute—a dispute the sahib was or to make me sorry—knowing that I’m letting Mama and instrumental in settling. The settlement included Dadi down, that Murad could lose his farm, that I could be Shabanu for the sahib’s wife. caught and beaten. But nobody felt sorry or frightened for In the propsoal, Phulan, now lacking a betrothal, me when they offered me to Rahib-sahib. (236-237) will marry Shabanu’s intended groom, Murad, and Riding swiftly on the great camel Xhush Dil, Shabanu will marry the sahib in a convenient re- Shabanu could have reached Sharma’s house if arrangement. The new marriages pacify both the Mithoo, her young camel, had not followed her, fallen disputers and the suitors, as well as significantly and broken a leg. She chose to remain and not to increase the family’s wealth and status. But Shabanu leave him to the jackals, just as she had chosen to flee. is devastated. She refuses and attempts to rebel, but is And subsequently, she chose to wait for her father, reminded by her mother that the arrangement is praying that he would forgive her “one hope for final—she has no choice. freedom” (239), that he would help her get Mithoo Unable to come to terms with a future so repug- back to camp, that the young camel would survive, nant to her, feeling trapped and betrayed, Shabanu that she would survive. Her father could “beat me to seeks out her mentor, her favorite aunt, Sharma. The death if he likes” (240): sense of ensnarement and intensity with which she envisions an imprisoning future enclose Shabanu. Dadi’s face shows no expression when he sees us, just as the sun rises. It’s as if he’d expected us to be here in this Mournfully she exclaims to Sharma, “But there isn’t exact spot all along. Without speaking he lifts me to my any choice! [. . .] Even if I am desperately unhappy, I feet and brings his stout stick down across my shoulders. I can never leave him.” To which Sharma replies, “No stand straight and let the stick fall against my ribs and shoul- matter what happens, you have you. That is the ders. I am silent. ‘Keep your reserves hidden.’ I repeat

THE ALAN REVIEW Summer 2005

l62_72TAR_Summer05 66 6/4/05, 10:32 AM Sharma’s words over and over, drawing on the strength of boy-gods or even, perhaps, my will [. . .] . I hear sobbing, as if from a great distance, divine youths and my knees crumple. Dadi catches me in his arms and Shabanu gave birth to the [. . .] . It is as though the buries his face against my bloody tunic. He holds me against him, and through a haze of pain, I realize it is Dadi sob- Olympian order had thrust most important self of all, bing, not me.” (240) the great Mother God- desses of olden time into her Self: whatever her Her final statement, spoken to herself, ends the novel: the background for the choice, it was undeniably The secret is keeping your innermost beauty, the secrets of sole purpose of throwing your soul, locked in your heart’, Sharma’s voice whispers the divine Korai into hers and in making it she in my ear, so that he must always reach out to you for it. sharper relief (106). The Rahib-sahib will reach out to me for the rest of his life and primordial maiden is the discovered and claimed a never unlock the secrets of my heart (240). “Protogonos Kore” (103), a part of her that was invio- Shabanu gave birth to the most important self of monomyth of transforma- all, her Self: whatever her choice, it was undeniably tional discipline, the trials lable. hers and in making it she discovered and claimed a and losses inherent in part of her that was inviolable. The reader recognizes gaining Wisdom, the force Shabanu’s increasing ability to analyze her problems of life and its fulfillment, a feminine principle. and her reactions, to arrive at new attitudes that Central to the Kore persona is its “budlike capac- produce self-empowering adaptations to her situa- ity to unfold and yet to contain a whole compact tions. Each negotiation moves her forward toward a world in itself” (106). The image is one of reflective greater command of her Self. Set against the backdrop promise, the girl as image of girl-woman-mother-in- of her physical maturation, the external transforma- journey, transformation. “Persephone is above all her tions she experiences as a girl transforming into a mother’s Kore: without her, Demeter would not be a woman, these multiple transformations evoke the Meter” (109). According to Kerenyi, the Kore is always archetypal image of the feminine principle, a transcen- a three-sided myth: birth, death and transformation, dent and teleological Wisdom that gives life and Mother and Daughter and Moon. The daughter is the moves it toward fulfillment. mother’s Kore, passed in becoming Mother, a double Jamake Highwater, Native American philosopher, figure that is moving and transforming. “The idea of reduces this situation to a formula, “the same para- the original Mother-Daughter [or Daughter-Mother] doxical Western position: one plus one equals One” goddess, at root a single entity, is at the same time the (Highwater, 66). The principled-complement has been idea of rebirth “ (123). The moon is symbol of rebirth the feminine, a necessary but other-than-not-half of “a in its dying and returning, its waning and waxing (131). tormented dualism [that] has steadily nagged at the Many Kore myths across cultures are associated consciousness of Western intellectuals” (66). “Amor- with moon symbolism and with life principles of phous sensibilities, such as intuition, imagination, transformation enshrined in the feminine: passivity, sensuality, ambiguity, and holisticity have long been dissociated from the oneness of the West A woman’s life is quite different from a man’s . . . God has and attributed to the non-rational and the feminine,” ordered it so . . . The man is the same after his first love as (66) and considered as other. Highwater suggests that he was before. The woman is from the day of her first love another. That continues so all through life . . . The woman otherness could imply a multiverse of possibilities conceives. As a mother she is another person than the within a concept of’ “sympathy” experienced as a “woman without child . . . Something grows into her life kinship, a “solidarity of life” (69). that never again departs from it . . . She is and remains a Kerenyi opens his study of the Kore, the mother even though her child dies, though all her children mythologem of the Divine Maiden, the girl, a domi- die. For at one time she carried the child under her heart. nant Greek myth, with the words of an Abyssinian And it does not go out of her heart ever again. All this the man does not know . . . Only a woman can know that and noble woman: “How can a man know what a speak of that. That is why we won’t be told “what to do by woman’s life is?” ( 101) and continues “Maiden- our husbands (Abyssinian noble woman qtd. in Kerenyi, goddesses are far more typical of Greek religion than 101).

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l62_72TAR_Summer05 67 6/4/05, 10:32 AM Unlike Cormier in The Chocolate War, Staples value of this disposition. For YA literature presents the chooses but one tense, the present, and one voice, world of imagination as real not hallucinatory, feelings Shabanu’s, to create a distinctive use of the first as reliable not deceitful, nature as essential not person narrative as the solitary internal reflective voice expendable, danger as challenging not demoralizing, of her protagonist. The reader becomes a listening- enemies as teachers as well as adversaries, and life as witness to events in time but ever present to the a surprising process neither exactly fair nor completely character’s mind. Shabanu’s psychic journey, with its capricious. Young Adult Literature, as a rite of its own, trials and revelations, appears in the moments and the has its own prophetic role. ways she wove them into her life. Her transcendent functioning: how she recognizes and solves her Works Cited. problems, how she adapts to swift changing circum- Ad de Vries. Dictionary of Symbols and Imagery. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Elsevier Science Publishers, 1984. 490. stances and most importantly how she speaks to American Library Association. (2005). “100 Most Frequently herself is apparent. Challenged Books of 1990-2000.” American Library Association. Retrieved April 15, 2005, from http:// YA Literature: A Rite of its Own www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/ 100mostfrequently.htm. In the introduction to Interpreting Young Adult Burke, Regie. Peace i. Wks. VIII. 78, under ‘drama’: The Oxford Literature: literary Theory in the Secondary Classroom English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989. Online: www.oed.com. by John Noell Moore, Moore makes the argument that Campbell, Joseph with Bill Moyers. The Power of Myth. Ed. Betty Sue Flowers. NewYork: Doubleday, 1988: 123-164. for young adult literature to come of age, and “lose its Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Dell, 1974 stepchild status” it must be able to be treated as Freud, Sigmund. Civilisation and Its Discontents. Trans. Ed. serious literary work (Moore, 2). As a rite of its own, James Strachey. By Peter Gay. New York: Norton, 1961. young adult literature is capable of and indeed Chapter III, 50. perfectly suited to examination using all forms of “Jean Jacques Rousseau.” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. literary criticism. Moore’s work defends the complex- Online. © 2001. http://www.utm.edU/research/iep/r/ rousseau.htm ity and richness of YA Literature and its right to be Jung, C.G. “The Psychology of the Child Archetype.” Essays on a placed alongside “the classical canonical texts” Science of Mythology. Trans. R.F.C. Hull New York: Harper, (Moore 6). Young Adult Literature, carrying and 1949. carried by the Divine Child as a rite of its own, Kerenyi, C. “Prolegomena.” “The Priordial Child in Primordial delivers its message, not only on the wings of the Times.” “Kore.” Essays on a Science of Mythology. Trans. R.F.C. Hull. New York: Harper, 1949. mythologems, but with a unique voice despite the Moore, John Noell. Interpreting Young Adult Uterature: LJterary wide variety of settings and stories— both fantastic Theory in the Secondary Classroom. Portsmouth, NH: and realistic—of current contemporary young adult Boyton/Cook, 1997. novels. Morford, Mark P.O., and Robert J. Lenardon. “Classical Mythol- Unabashedly unmastered and unfinished, the ogy.” 5th ed. White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers, 1971. voice of the archetype of the Divine Child is fashioned 116-127. The Revised Standard Version Holy Bible Ecumenical Edition. by more humble perceptions and speaks with a New York: Collins 1973. graciousness that elicits the wealth of nature’s provi- Staples, Suzanne Fisher. Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind. New dence as surely as it tests the mettle of its own self- York: Random House, 1989. reliance. Employing vulnerability, the Child is open to Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Norton help from the spiritual realities beyond and above its Anthology of American literature. Eds. N. Bryan et al. 4th ed. 1 vol. New York: Norton, 1995. 1865-1914. control. Never exclusively of its own making, the Yates, Jenny. Cambridge 2001: Proceedings of the Fifteenth Child’s reality is a playful participation in-and-with the International Congress for Analytical Psychology. Einsiedeln, world; his solutions—her conquests conversationally Switzerland: Daimon Verlag and the authors, 2003. 230-237. mannered. Perhaps the extraordinary success of the Harry Potter series and the recent growing interest and popularity of YA literature in general demonstrate the

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